Whatever Position I Occupied, It Was The

I Was Not A Messiah, But An Ordinary Man Who Had Become A Leader Because Of Extraordinary Circumstances.

My Respect For Human Beings Is Based Not On The Colour Of A Man’s Skin Nor Authority He May Wield, But Purely On Merit.

As The Years Progress One Increasingly Realises The Importance Of Friendship And Human Solidarity. And If A 90-year-old May Offer Some Unsolicited Advice On This Occasion, It Would Be That You, Irrespective Of Your Age, Should Place Human Solidarity, The Concern For The Other, At The Centre Of The Values By Which You Live.

There Is An Absence Of Democratic Accountability And Control In Every Sphere Of Government And The State. To Address This Debilitating Legacy Requires Determined Action And A Deep Commitment To Transforming Our Society From A Crisis Ridden Present Into Something All South Africans Can Be Truly Proud Of.

We Must Nurture Tolerance, Collective Wisdom, And Democracy.