Elias’sstory

　　1.MynameisElias.IamapoorblackworkerinSouthAfrica.ThetimewhenIfirstmetNelsonMandelawasaverydifficultperiodofmylife.Iwastwelveyearsold.Itwasin1952andMandelawastheblacklawyertowhomIwentforadvice.Heofferedguidancetopoorblackpeopleontheirlegalproblems.Hewasgenerouswithhistime,forwhichIwasgrateful.

　　IneededhishelpbecauseIhadverylittleeducation.Ibeganschoolatsix.TheschoolwhereIstudiedforonlytwoyearswasthreekilomertesaway.Ihadtoleavebecausemyfamilycouldnotcontinuetopaytheschoolfeesandthebusfare.Icouldnotreadorwritewell.Aftertryinghard,Igotajobinagoldmine,However,thiswasatimewhenonehadgottohaveapassbooktoliveinJohannesburg.SadlyIdidnothaveitbecauseIwasnotbornthere,andIworriedaboutwhetherIwouldbecomeoutofwork.

　　2.ThedaywhenNelsonMandelahelpedmewasoneofmyhappiest.HetoldmehowtogetthecorrectpaperssoIcouldstayinJohannesburg.Ibecamemorehopefulaboutmyfuture.IneverforgothowkindMandelawas.WhenheorganizedtheANCYouthLeague,IjoineditassoonasIcould.Hesaid:

　　“Thelastthirtyyearshaveseenthegreatestnumeberoflawsstoppingourrightsandprogress,untilltodaywehavereachedastagewherewehavealmostnorightsatall.”