“You beat me, and I will find you in court,” those were Nelson Mandela’s defiant words to the prison guards, during his time in captivity on Robben Island.
Hain's biography charts Mandela’s transformation in captivity, from the defiant African National Congress freedom fighter to the wise leader of his country. It is an accessible account of his personal life, and his career as a political activist who became a leading statesman on the World stage.
“He never forgot, but was always willing to forgive,” said Hain. During his interview with Sarfraz Manzoor, he walked the audience through the twist and turns of
Mandela’s life. These included not only his capacity for forgiveness but also his great strength as an expert negotiator, and his uncompromising devotion to his principles. However, as well as highlighting Mandela’s legacy, Hain also explained how his leadership came at great cost to his personal life.
If you missed this, you might like to go to event number 152, How Democracy Ends, at 4 pm on 28 May.