The South Africans decided that they would like to prove to the world they did not have any nuclear weapons and their decision was not doubted because it was the end of the Cold War, it was also the end of apartheid.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I've never doubted that apartheid - because it was of itself fundamentally, intrinsically evil - was going to bite the dust eventually.
Now, of course, we know there has been an end to apartheid in South Africa, but what excited me was seeing it in the context of history.
By 1960, the South Africans knew that they were becoming a pariah state.
Everybody now admits that apartheid was wrong, and all I did was tell the people who wanted to know where I come from how we lived in South Africa. I just told the world the truth. And if my truth then becomes political, I can't do anything about that.
It may be that apartheid brings such stupendous economic advantages to countries that they would sooner have apartheid than permit its destruction.
In South Africa, we could not have achieved our freedom and just peace without the help of people around the world, who through the use of non-violent means, such as boycotts and divestment, encouraged their governments and other corporate actors to reverse decades-long support for the Apartheid regime.
When I talk about the end of apartheid, I prefer not to claim the honor that I have ended it.
We believe that the world, too, can destroy apartheid, firstly by striking at the economy of South Africa.
Remember, we know the end of the story of World War II and the Cold War. But day by day, living in fear of the Nazis and then in fear of the Soviets, the outcome was by no means certain.
For those who may not know, it was the CBC that put in place the legislation that put sanctions against South Africa to end apartheid, and that took Mandela off the terrorist list.