The Presidential Years

The journey that started many years ago under adverse conditions reaches its culmination in this, our report-back. But this is only one milestone on the long road of ensuring that our nations, who share a common destiny, can thus share in the rebirth of Africa - Nelson Mandela, during his first visit to Tanzania as President of South Africa.607

The ANC in general, and Madiba in particular, … have always been aware that South Africa cannot survive alone. No matter the appearance of being the strongest economy, and, as many people say, the oldest liberation movement, there has always been the acknowledgement that this country will not succeed without integration into the region.

That is one thing. The second is the acknowledgement that, whether it was because of geography or other reasons, among all the countries around here, there is not one single country in southern Africa which in different ways has not sacrificed, not only contributed, but sacrificed, for this country to be free.608