I Am Prepared to Die

“I am the first accused.”

The very first sentence of the speech establishes the context of a court case. Mandela has been accused of sabotage, and he is giving a speech from the dock, an opportunity for the defendant to speak out against the charges. Being the “first accused” also implies Mandela’s leadership role within the freedom fighting organization.

“At the outset, I want to say that the suggestion made by the State in its opening that the struggle in South Africa is under the influence of foreigners or communists is wholly incorrect. I have done whatever I did, both as an individual and as a leader of my people, because of my experience in South Africa and my own proudly felt African background, and not because of what any outsider might have said.”

The state attempted to permanently imprison Mandela before, in 1956, through the Suppression of Communism Act. In this instance, Mandela and members of the ANC were accused of plotting to replace the apartheid government with a communist government. From the outset of this trial, Mandela once again addresses the misconception that the government has spread amongst the public, and he asserts his own African political identity.

“I admit immediately that I was one of the persons who helped to form Umkhonto we Sizwe, and that I played a prominent role in its affairs until I was arrested in August 1962.”

Here again, Mandela emphasizes establishing a fact from the outset. In this instance, he takes credit for his role in Umkhonto we Sizwe, rather than denying association or blame. This is because he believes his actions have been righteous and justified.