【MynameisElias.IamapoorblackworkerinSouthAfrica.ThetimewhenIfirstmetNelsonMandelawasaverydifficultperiodofmylife.Iwastwelveyearsold.Itwasin1952andMandelawastheblacklawyertowhomIwentforadvice.Heofferedguid】

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

　　x05IneededhishelpbecauseIhadverylittleeducation.Ibeganschoolatsix.TheschoolwhereIstudiedforonlytwoyearswasthreekilometersaway.Ihadtoleavebecausemyfamilycouldnotcontinuetopaytheschoolfeesandthebusfare.Icouldnotreadorwritewell.Aftertryinghard,Igotajobinagoldmine.However,thiswasatimewhenonehadgottohaveapassbooktoliveinJohannesburg.SadlyIdidnothaveitbecauseIwasnotbornthere,andIworriedaboutwhetherIwouldbecomeoutofwork.

　　x05ThedaywhenNelsonMandelahelpedmewasoneofmyhappiest.HetoldmehowtogetthecorrectpaperssoIcouldstayinJohannesburg.Ibecamemorehopefulaboutmyfuture.IneverforgothowkindMandelawas.WhenheorganizedtheANCYouthLeague,IjoineditassoonasIcould.Hesaid:

　　x05“Thelastthirtyyearshaveseenthegreatestnumberoflawsstoppingoutrightsandprogress,untiltodaywehavereachedastagewherewehavealmostnorightsatall.”

　　x05Itwasthetruth.Blackpeoplecouldnotvoteorchoosetheirleaders.Theycouldnotgetthejobstheywanted.Thepartsoftowninwhichtheyhadtoliveweredecidedbywhitepeople.TheplacesoutsidethetownswheretheyweresenttolivewerethepoorestpartsofSouthAfrica.Noonecouldgrowfoodthere.InfactasNelsonMandelasaid:

　　x05“…wewereputintoapositioninwhichwehadeithertoacceptwewerelessimportantorfightthegovernment.Wechosetoattackthelaws.Wefirstbrokethelawinawaywhichwaspeaceful;whenthiswasnotallowed…onlythendidwedecidetoanswerviolencewithviolence.”

　　x05Asamatteroffact,Idonotlikeviolence…butin1963Ihelpedhimblowupsomegovernmentbuildings.ItwasverydangerousbecauseifIwascaughtIcouldbeputinprison.ButIwashappytohelpbecauseIknewitwouldhelpusachieveourdreamofmakingblackandwhitepeopleequal.