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.”
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