Analyse
Nelson Mandela, speaking at the launch of Umkhonto we Sizwe in December 1961, urged South Africans to fight the apartheid regime, but the exact wording of the manifesto reads differently, e.g., “The time has come for the people of South Africa to take up the weapon of the people… We shall not submit, and we will use any means necessary.” The quoted text is a paraphrase rather than a direct citation. While it reflects the overall message, it is not an exact quote.
Achtergrond
Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) was formed as the armed wing of the ANC in 1961, with Mandela as its first commander. The launch statement called for sabotage against government installations and expressed that peaceful protest had been exhausted. Mandela’s autobiography and ANC archives contain the original wording.
Samenvatting verdict
Mandela did announce the armed struggle in 1961, but the quoted passage is not a verbatim statement from the Umkhonto we Sizwe manifesto.