Identity area
Reference code
ZA COM NMPP 2009/57-60-1
Title
Setting the election date [z665tTrAOsg]
Date(s)
- 1993-04-28 and 1993-04-29 (Creation)
Level of description
page
Extent and medium
1 audio clip
In-point: 31:45
Out-point: 33:26
In-point: 31:45
Out-point: 33:26
Context area
Name of creator
Name of creator
(1955-)
Biographical history
Editor and author. Collaborated with Mandela on his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom (published 1994). Co-producer of the documentary Mandela, 1996. Editor of TIME magazine.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Rick Stengel
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Story:
After years of talks about talks, and then actual talks, the parties in South Africa agreed in June 1993 that the country would hold its first democratic elections on 27 April 1994. The elderly, infirm and pregnant women went to the polls the day before. An extra day was added on for voting after it became clear that more time was needed. Here Nelson Mandela talks humorously about a retreat at which the date of the elections was discussed between the African National Congress and the South African government.
After years of talks about talks, and then actual talks, the parties in South Africa agreed in June 1993 that the country would hold its first democratic elections on 27 April 1994. The elderly, infirm and pregnant women went to the polls the day before. An extra day was added on for voting after it became clear that more time was needed. Here Nelson Mandela talks humorously about a retreat at which the date of the elections was discussed between the African National Congress and the South African government.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Access by permission of the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright held by the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
STENGEL: December you have the bosberaad in the Northern Transvaal at the game farm with the ANC and the government and you say that there was quite a lot of progress made at that meeting.
MANDELA: Oh yes. That is where it was decided that the elections should be, a date of election should be either towards the end of the current year or the beginning of next year, it was in that bosberaad. We don’t call it bosberaad, we call it lekgotla – we avoid the term bosberaad.
STENGEL: [LAUGHS]
MANDELA: Lekgotla is [spells] L-E-K-G-O-T-L-A, lekgotla.
STENGEL: What does that mean?
MANDELA: Bosberaad. It means a meeting, yes. A meeting.
STENGEL: So that was where the election date, it was set anytime between those two dates or one or the other?
MANDELA: No, we said our proposal was that it should be at the end of the year, by the end of the year, and and then we agreed that either at the end of the year or, if something unforeseen occurs towards, I mean at the beginning of 1994.
STENGEL: And that was the main thing that you took out of that.
MANDELA: Yes.
STENGEL: Right.
MANDELA: Oh yes. That is where it was decided that the elections should be, a date of election should be either towards the end of the current year or the beginning of next year, it was in that bosberaad. We don’t call it bosberaad, we call it lekgotla – we avoid the term bosberaad.
STENGEL: [LAUGHS]
MANDELA: Lekgotla is [spells] L-E-K-G-O-T-L-A, lekgotla.
STENGEL: What does that mean?
MANDELA: Bosberaad. It means a meeting, yes. A meeting.
STENGEL: So that was where the election date, it was set anytime between those two dates or one or the other?
MANDELA: No, we said our proposal was that it should be at the end of the year, by the end of the year, and and then we agreed that either at the end of the year or, if something unforeseen occurs towards, I mean at the beginning of 1994.
STENGEL: And that was the main thing that you took out of that.
MANDELA: Yes.
STENGEL: Right.