Mandela's First Speech at the Time of Oath Taking Ceremony

Nelson Mandela was a great leader who fought against the apartheid system in South Africa. He was imprisoned for 27 years, but he never gave up his struggle for justice and equality. When he was released from prison, he became the president of South Africa and worked hard to bring about change in the country. In his first speech at the time of the oath-taking ceremony, he said:

"The time for the healing of the wounds has come."

Mandela began his speech by acknowledging the difficult past of South Africa. He recognized that the country had been through a lot of pain and suffering, and it was time to start healing. He emphasized the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation in order to move forward as a country.

"We enter into a covenant that we shall build a society in which all South Africans, both black and white, will be able to walk tall, without any fear in their hearts, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity - a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world."

Mandela's vision for South Africa was a society where everyone was equal, regardless of their skin color. He wanted to create a "rainbow nation" where people of different backgrounds and cultures could live together in peace and harmony. He believed that this was only possible by ensuring that everyone had their basic human rights respected.

"Let there be justice for all. Let there be peace for all."

Mandela's speech was a call to action for all South Africans to work together to create a just and peaceful society. He recognized that this would not be an easy task, but he was committed to making it happen. He urged everyone to do their part in bringing about change and to be patient as they worked towards a better future.

"The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement!"

Mandela ended his speech on a hopeful note, saying that the work they were doing was a great human achievement. He believed that their efforts would have a lasting impact on the world and that future generations would remember their struggle for justice and equality. He was confident that they would succeed in building a better South Africa for all.

Since in South African law, a defendant may not address the court from the witness stand but only answer questions, Mandela gave the speech from the defendant's dock. He spoke for some three hours before he concluded with the often-quoted "I am prepared to die".