[0:01]Up to now, African nationalism has only made itself felt in campaigns of non-cooperation. Where there have been riots in locations like these, they've generally been caused by bad conditions. Two days before South Africa became a Republic, a stay away strike was organized throughout the country in protest. But most Africans went to work. 10,000 of them were arrested before the strike began. The army was fully mobilized, and an African knows he can be jailed for three years if he dares to strike. I went to see the man who organized this stay away, a 42-year-old African lawyer, Nelson Mandela, the most dynamic leader in South Africa today. The police were hunting for him at the time, but African nationalists had arranged for me to meet him at his hideout. He is still underground. This is Mandela's first television interview.
[1:02]I asked him what it was that the African really wanted. The Africans require, want the franchise on the basis of one man, one vote. They want political independence. Do you see Africans being able to develop in this country without the European being pushed out? We have made it very clear in our policy that uh South Africa is a country of many races. There is room for all the various races in this country. Are there many educated Africans in South Africa? Yes, we have a large number of uh Africans who are educated and who are taking part in the political struggles of the African people. The question of education has nothing to do with the question of the vote. The on numerous occasions it has been proved in history that uh people can enjoy the vote even if they have no education, of course we desire education. And we think it's a good thing, but uh you don't have to have education in order to know that uh you want certain fundamental rights, you have got aspirations, you have got claims. It has nothing to do with education whatsoever. Are you planning any more campaigns of non-cooperation? Yes, the Peterberg resolution makes provision for a campaign of non-cooperation with the government. And we are presently studying plans to implement this aspect of the resolution. Now, if Dr. Voeltz's government doesn't give you the kind of concessions that you want sometime soon, is there any likelihood of violence? There are many people who feel that uh the reaction of the government to our stay at home. Ordering a general mobilization, arming the white community, arresting 10,000 of Africans, the show of force throughout the country. Notwithstanding our clear declaration that this campaign is being run on peaceful and non-violent lines. Close a chapter as far as our methods of political struggle concerned. There are many people who feel that it is useless and fertile for us to continue talking peace and non-violence against a government whose reply is only savage attacks on an unarmed and defenseless people. And I think the time has come for us to consider in the light of our experiences in this stay at home whether the methods which we have applied so far are adequate.
