NM

TENTH May dawned bright and [blank_start]clear[blank_end]. For the past few days I had been pleasantly besieged [blank_start]by[blank_end] dignitaries and world leaders who were coming to [blank_start]pay[blank_end] their respects before the inauguration. The inauguration would be the largest gathering ever of international leaders on South African soil. The ceremonies [blank_start]took[blank_end] place in the lovely sandstone amphitheatre formed by the Union Buildings in Pretoria. For decades this had been the [blank_start]seat[blank_end] of white supremacy, and now it was the site of a [blank_start]rainbow[blank_end] gathering of different colours and nations for the installation of South Africa’s first democratic, non-racial government. On that lovely autumn day I was accompanied [blank_start]by[blank_end] my daughter Zenani. On the podium, Mr de Klerk was first sworn in as second deputy president. Then Thabo Mbeki was sworn [blank_start]in[blank_end] as first deputy president. When it was my turn, I pledged to obey and [blank_start]uphold[blank_end] the Constitution and to [blank_start]devote[blank_end] myself to the wellbeing of the Republic and its people. To the [blank_start]assembled[blank_end] guests and the [blank_start]watching[blank_end] world, I said: Today, all of us do, by our presence here... [blank_start]confer[blank_end] glory and hope to newborn liberty. Out of the experience of an extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long, must be born a society of which all humanity will be proud. We, who were outlaws not [blank_start]so[blank_end] long ago, have today been given the [blank_start]rare[blank_end] privilege to be host to the nations of the world on our own soil. We thank all of our [blank_start]distinguished[blank_end] international guests for [blank_start]having[blank_end] come to take possession with the people of our country of what is, after [blank_start]all[blank_end], a common victory for justice, for peace, for human dignity. We have, at last, achieved our political [blank_start]emancipation[blank_end]. We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the continuing [blank_start]bondage[blank_end] of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination. Never, never, and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by [blank_start]another[blank_end]. The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement. Let freedom reign. God bless Africa!