Nelson Mandela’s Anti-Apartheid Fight: A Rhetorical Analysis of “I Am Prepared to Die”

In this post, you’ll discover why Nelson Mandela is regarded as one of Africa’s most iconic leaders. You’ll learn what he stood for, what he said in his speeches and public statements, and delve into a rhetorical analysis of one of his most powerful addresses — “I Am Prepared to Die.”

Nelson Mandela: Key Milestones in the Life of Africa’s Greatest Defender of Justice

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (July 18, 1918 – December 5, 2013) was a South African political activist, anti-apartheid revolutionary, human rights advocate, and the country’s first Black president (1994–1999). Imprisoned for 27 years, Mandela became a global symbol of resistance, justice, and reconciliation.

He is best known for his unwavering fight against apartheid — a system of institutionalized racial segregation — and his lifelong commitment to building a democratic South Africa rooted in equality and human dignity.

What Was Apartheid?

To fully understand Mandela’s impact and the forces that shaped his identity, it’s important to grasp what apartheid meant in South Africa. Instituted in 1948, apartheid was a legal and social system designed to uphold white minority rule by oppressing the non-white majority. It involved:

Stripping Black South Africans of political and nearly all civil rights

Providing inferior public services and education based on race
Banning Black citizens from owning businesses in white-designated areas (including major cities and economic hubs)
Enforcing segregation in schools, transportation, and public spaces
Prohibiting Black people from living or working in “white zones” without special permits
Neglecting healthcare infrastructure in Black communities, with few hospitals and under-resourced staff
Limiting education for Black children to menial job skills intended for servitude
Denying Black police officers the authority to arrest white citizens

Apartheid wasn’t just discrimination — it was a meticulously designed system of racial domination. Mandela dedicated his life to dismantling this system, even at the cost of his own freedom.

Key Milestones in Nelson Mandela’s Political Life

Nelson Mandela’s political journey began in 1944 when he joined the African National Congress (ANC), a political movement committed to dismantling apartheid and establishing a democratic society in South Africa.

Over the years, Mandela rose through the ranks of the ANC, taking on leadership roles that revitalized the organization and strengthened its opposition to the ruling National Party’s oppressive policies.In 1952, together with his close friend Oliver Tambo—who later became ANC president—Mandela co-founded the first Black-led law firm in South Africa, Mandela and Tambo. Their firm provided affordable, often free legal assistance to Black South Africans, empowering communities facing systemic injustice.

Three years later, in 1955, Mandela played a crucial role in organizing the Congress of the People, where the Freedom Charter was adopted. This landmark document outlined the fundamental principles for a free, democratic, and equal South Africa.

Mandela’s outspoken activism made him a target of the apartheid regime. In 1956, he was arrested along with 150 others on charges of high treason and plotting to overthrow the government. After a lengthy five-year trial, all accused were acquitted.Until 1960, Mandela advocated exclusively for nonviolent resistance.

However, following brutal police shootings of unarmed protesters and escalating state repression, he reconsidered his stance. Mandela then began supporting sabotage as a form of protest against the apartheid government.In 1962, Mandela was arrested and, in October 1963, convicted of sabotage, treason, and conspiracy to overthrow the government. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.Mandela spent 27 years behind bars before his release in 1990. Subsequently, he was elected South Africa’s first Black president, symbolizing a new era of democracy and equality.

The collapse of apartheid was deeply intertwined with Mandela’s relentless activism and the efforts of the ANC under his leadership.In recognition of his extraordinary contributions to peace and justice, Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

Nelson Mandela’s Most Influential Speeches and Public Addresses

Nelson Mandela’s legacy is also defined by his powerful speeches, which articulated the struggle for freedom and justice. Among his most notable addresses are:

“The Struggle is My Life” (June 26, 1961)“Black Man in a White Court” — Mandela’s first courtroom statement (1962)
“I Am Prepared to Die” — His defense speech at the Rivonia Trial, Pretoria Supreme Court (April 20, 1964)
Statement to the Special Committee Against Apartheid (June 22, 1990)
Address to the 49th United Nations General Assembly
Rajiv Gandhi Foundation Lecture (January 25, 1995)
Speech on Receiving the Freedom of Durban (April 16, 1999)
Address to the 53rd United Nations General Assembly (September 21, 1998)
Speech at the Municipal Infrastructure Programme, Free State (October 14, 1998)
“Africa Standing Tall Against Poverty” — Mary Fitzgerald Square, Johannesburg (July 2, 2005)
Message for the Global Convention on Peace and Nonviolence, New Delhi (January 31, 2004)
6th Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture, Kliptown, Soweto (July 12, 2008)
Across these speeches, Mandela consistently addressed challenging yet vital issues—social justice, racial discrimination, human rights, freedom, reconciliation, poverty, and the vision for a new, inclusive world.

Across these speeches, Mandela consistently addressed challenging yet vital issues—social justice, racial discrimination, human rights, freedom, reconciliation, poverty, and the vision for a new, inclusive world.

The Core Message of Nelson Mandela’s Speech “I Am Prepared to Die”

On April 20, 1964, during the Rivonia Trial, Nelson Mandela delivered what would become one of the most powerful and enduring speeches of the 20th century — “I Am Prepared to Die.” The speech lasted nearly three hours and marked a defining moment in the struggle against apartheid.

In this address, Mandela openly acknowledged his role in planning acts of sabotage. However, he firmly explained that

Ultimately, Mandela was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, narrowly escaping the death penalty.

Rhetorical Analysis of “I Am Prepared to Die”

Structure of the Speech

Mandela’s “I Am Prepared to Die” speech is thoughtfully structured into three key parts:

1. Personal Background and Denial of Accusations

Mandela begins by sharing his personal history — highlighting his legal education and career as a lawyer — before firmly denying the charges brought against him.

2. Admission of Responsibility and Justification of Actions

In the second section, Mandela accepts responsibility for his involvement in sabotage and expresses willingness to be held accountable. He emphasizes that these violent methods were a last resort, necessary to challenge the deeply entrenched injustice of apartheid.

3. A Vision for Equality and Justice

The final and longest section outlines Mandela’s passionate call for equal rights for all South Africans, underscoring his commitment to justice and dignity.

The full speech contains approximately 14,300 words and remains a remarkable example of persuasive and ethical rhetoric.

Rhetorical Devices in Nelson Mandela’s Speech “I Am Prepared to Die”

Nelson Mandela was not only an exceptional political leader but also a powerful and skilled orator.

Let’s explore some key rhetorical devices and figures of speech Mandela employed during his nearly three-hour speech, illustrated through select quotations.

Ethos — Establishing Credibility and Trust

Mandela begins by appealing to ethos, one of the three modes of persuasion, which builds the speaker’s credibility and authority.

By presenting himself as educated and experienced, Mandela earns the audience’s trust and shows that his views deserve respect. Early in the speech, he introduces himself by mentioning his law degree and legal career. He also shares personal background stories and ancestral influences that inspired his dedication to fighting for the rights of Black South Africans.

Mandela clearly states the purpose of his speech:

To refute false accusations against him
To explain the goals and methods of the anti-apartheid struggle

He emphasizes that the African National Congress (ANC) initially opposed violence and sought peaceful methods to end apartheid — only resorting to sabotage as a last measure.

Logos — Logical Argument and Reasoning

Logos appeals to logic and reason, using facts, statistics, examples, and historical context to persuade the audience.

If ethos forms the foundation of Mandela’s speech, logos builds the argument on solid ground, guiding listeners to understand why the ANC’s actions were justified.

Here are some powerful examples of logos from Mandela’s speech:

“We chose to defy the law. We first broke the law in a way which avoided any recourse to violence; when this form was legislated against, and then the Government resorted to a show of force to crush opposition to its policies, only then did we decide to answer violence with violence.”

“For thirty-seven years – that is until 1949 – it adhered strictly to a constitutional struggle. It put forward demands and resolutions; it sent delegations to the Government in the belief that African grievances could be settled through peaceful discussion and that Africans could advance gradually to full political rights. But White Governments remained unmoved, and the rights of Africans became less instead of becoming greater.”

“In 1960 the Government held a referendum which led to the establishment of the Republic. Africans, who constituted approximately 70 per cent of the population of South Africa, were not entitled to vote, and were not even consulted about the proposed constitutional change.”

“There had been violence in 1957 when the women of Zeerust were ordered to carry passes; there was violence in 1958 with the enforcement of cattle culling in Sekhukhuniland; there was violence in 1959 when the people of Cato Manor protested against pass raids; there was violence in 1960 when the Government attempted to impose Bantu Authorities in Pondoland. Thirty-nine Africans died in these disturbances. In 1961 there had been riots in Warmbaths, and all this time the Transkei had been a seething mass of unrest. Each disturbance pointed clearly to the inevitable growth among Africans of the belief that violence was the only way out – it showed that a Government which uses force to maintain its rule teaches the oppressed to use force to oppose it.”

Pathos — Emotional Appeal in Mandela’s Speech

Pathos is a rhetorical device that appeals to the audience’s emotions. It helps the speaker evoke feelings such as pity, empathy, fear, or anger, creating a strong emotional connection with listeners or readers.

Nelson Mandela skillfully uses pathos throughout his “I Am Prepared to Die” speech to highlight the suffering caused by apartheid and to inspire empathy and urgency for change.

Here are some striking examples of pathos from his speech:

“Already scores of Africans had died as a result of racial friction. In 1920, when the famous leader Masabala was held in Port Elizabeth jail, twenty-four Africans who had gathered to demand his release were killed by police and white civilians. In 1921, more than one hundred Africans died in the Bulhoek affair. In 1924, over two hundred Africans were killed when the Administrator of South-West Africa led a force against a group that rebelled against the imposition of dog tax. On May 1, 1950, eighteen Africans died as a result of police shootings during a strike. On March 21, 1960, sixty-nine unarmed Africans were killed at Sharpeville.

How many more Sharpevilles will there be in the history of our country?”

“It may be difficult for white South Africans, with their ingrained prejudice against communism, to understand why experienced African politicians so readily accept communists as their friends. But to us, the reason is clear. Theoretical differences among those fighting oppression is a luxury we cannot afford at this stage. Moreover, for many decades, communists were the only political group in South Africa prepared to treat Africans as human beings and equals; prepared to eat with us, talk with us, live with us, and work alongside us. They were the only group willing to work with Africans to secure political rights and a stake in society.”

“While whites enjoy what may be the highest standard of living in the world, Africans live in poverty and misery. Forty percent of Africans live in overcrowded and sometimes drought-stricken reserves, where soil erosion and overuse make it impossible to live off the land. Thirty percent are laborers, tenants, and squatters on white farms, living and working under conditions akin to serfdom in the Middle Ages. The remaining 30 percent live in towns, where they have developed social and economic habits that in many respects bring them closer to white standards.”

“Poverty brings malnutrition and disease. Rates of malnutrition and deficiency diseases are high among Africans. Tuberculosis, pellagra, kwashiorkor, gastroenteritis, and scurvy cause death and suffering. Infant mortality rates are among the highest worldwide.”

“South African governments have discriminated against African workers through policies like the so-called ‘civilized labour policy,’ which reserves sheltered, unskilled government jobs for white workers who cannot succeed in industry, paying wages far higher than those earned by average African employees.”

“Menial tasks in South Africa are almost always performed by Africans. When something needs to be carried or cleaned, the white man looks for an African to do it — whether employed by him or not. This attitude causes whites to see Africans as a separate breed. They fail to recognize that Africans have families, emotions, and desires — that they fall in love, want to be with their wives and children, and seek to earn enough to support and educate their families.”

“Africans want a living wage. Africans want to do work they are capable of, not just what the government assigns them. Africans want to live where they work, not be forced out because they were not born there. Africans want to own land where they work, not be limited to rented homes they can never truly call their own.”—> “It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

Antithesis in Nelson Mandela’s Speech “I Am Prepared to Die”

Antithesis is a rhetorical device that places contrasting ideas side by side to highlight their differences and create a powerful effect.

Mandela frequently used antithesis to emphasize the injustice and contradictions of apartheid, as well as the determination of the oppressed:

“Some of the things so far told to the Court are true and some are untrue.”

“We believe that South Africa belongs to all the people who live in it, and not to one group, be it black or white.”

“But White Governments remained unmoved, and the rights of Africans became less instead of becoming greater.”

“Our problem was not whether to fight, but was how to continue the fight.”

“We did so not because we desired such a course, but solely because the Government had left us with no other choice.”

“I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination.”

“It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

Mandela also contrasts the harsh realities faced by Black South Africans with their legitimate aspirations, underscoring the deep inequalities:

“Africans want to perform work which they are capable of doing, and not work which the Government declares them capable of… Africans want to be part of the general population, and not confined to living in their own ghettos.”

Anaphora in Nelson Mandela’s Speech

Anaphora is the deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences. This technique focuses the audience’s attention and adds emotional intensity.

Mandela uses anaphora to reinforce key ideas and rally his listeners:

“I will also deal with the relationship between the African National Congress and Umkhonto, and with the part which I personally have played in the affairs of both organizations. I shall deal also with the part played by the Communist Party.”

“We believed in the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, that ‘the will of the people shall be the basis of authority of the Government,’ and for us to accept the banning was equivalent to accepting…”

“I wish to turn now to certain general allegations made in this case by the State. But before doing so, I wish to revert to certain occurrences said by witnesses to have happened in Port Elizabeth and East London.”

“The Communist Party’s main aim… The Communist Party sought to emphasize class distinctions whilst the ANC seeks to harmonize them.”

“Africans want to…” (repeated in a series listing their rights and desires)“It is a struggle of the African people, inspired by their own suffering and their own experience. It is a struggle for the right to live.”

“During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.”

Lexical Repetition in Nelson Mandela’s Speech

Lexical repetition is a stylistic device that involves deliberately repeating the same words or phrases within a section of text. This technique emphasizes key ideas, reinforces arguments, and creates rhythm and cohesion in speech.

Nelson Mandela frequently uses lexical repetition in “I Am Prepared to Die” to stress the urgency and importance of the anti-apartheid struggle. Here are some notable examples:

“I do not, however, deny that I planned sabotage. I did not plan it in a spirit of recklessness, nor because I have any love of violence. I planned it as a result of a calm and sober assessment…”

“We chose to defy the law. We first broke the law in a way which avoided any recourse to violence; when this form was legislated against, and then the Government resorted to a show of force to crush opposition to its policies, only then did we decide to answer violence with violence.”

“In 1956, 156 leading members of the Congress Alliance, including myself, were arrested on a charge of high treason and charges under the Suppression of Communism Act.”

“We had no doubt that we had to continue the fight. Anything else would have been abject surrender. Our problem was not whether to fight, but was how to continue the fight.”

“But the hard facts were that fifty years of non-violence had brought the African people nothing but more and more repressive legislation, and fewer and fewer rights.”

“There had been violence in 1957 when the women of Zeerust were ordered to carry passes; there was violence in 1958 with the enforcement of cattle culling in Sekhukhuniland; there was violence in 1959 when the people of Cato Manor protested against pass raids; there was violence in 1960 when the Government attempted to impose Bantu Authorities in Pondoland.”

“We did so not because we desired such a course, but solely because the Government had left us with no other choice.”

“We did not want to be committed to civil war, but we wanted to be ready if it became inevitable.”

“This is what we felt at the time, and this is what we said in our Manifesto.”

“The ideological creed of the ANC is, and always has been, the creed of African Nationalism.”

“What is more, for many decades communists were the only political group in South Africa who were prepared to treat Africans as human beings and their equals; who were prepared to eat with us; talk with us, live with us, and work with us.”

“Our complaint is not that we are poor by comparison with people in other countries, but that we are poor by comparison with the white people in our own country, and that we are prevented by legislation from altering this imbalance.”

“They do not look upon them as people with families of their own; they do not realize that they have emotions – that they fall in love like white people do; that they want to be with their wives and children like white people want to be with theirs; that they want to earn enough money to support their families properly, to feed and clothe them and send them to school.”

“Their struggle is a truly national one. It is a struggle of the African people, inspired by their own suffering and their own experience. It is a struggle for the right to live.”

“I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination.”

Rhetorical Questions in Nelson Mandela’s Speech “I Am Prepared to Die”

A rhetorical question is a question asked not to receive an actual answer, but to engage the audience and provoke thought. This device creates an internal dialogue, prompting listeners to reflect and mentally respond.

Nelson Mandela effectively uses rhetorical questions throughout his speech to highlight the urgency and gravity of the struggle against apartheid. Here are some notable examples:

“In the words of my leader, Chief Lutuli, who became President of the ANC in 1952, and who was later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize: ‘Who will deny that thirty years of my life have been spent knocking in vain, patiently, moderately, and modestly at a closed and barred door? What have been the fruits of moderation? The past thirty years have seen the greatest number of laws restricting our rights and progress, until today we have reached a stage where we have almost no rights at all.’”

“I must return to June 1961. What were we, the leaders of our people, to do? Were we to give in to the show of force and the implied threat against future action, or were we to fight it and, if so, how?”

“How much longer would it take to eradicate the scars of inter-racial civil war, which could not be fought without a great loss of life on both sides?”

“The white newspapers carried reports that sabotage would be punished by death. If this was so, how could we continue to keep Africans away from terrorism?”

“How many more Sharpevilles would there be in the history of our country? And how many more Sharpevilles could the country stand without violence and terror becoming the order of the day? And what would happen to our people when that stage was reached? In the long run, we felt certain we must succeed, but at what cost to ourselves and the rest of the country? And if this happened, how could black and white ever live together again in peace and harmony?”

“And what ‘house-boy’ or ‘garden-boy’ or labourer can ever hope to do this?”

Conclusion

“Nelson Mandela showed what is possible for our world and within each one of us – if we believe, dream, and work together for justice and humanity.”
Ban Ki-moon, former Secretary-General of the United Nations

Nelson Mandela remains a towering figure of the 20th century — a brilliant orator, a relentless fighter for justice, and an influential political leader who inspired millions around the globe.

For those interested, the full transcript of Mandela’s iconic speech “I Am Prepared to Die” is available in our post:

Transcript of Nelson Mandela’s Speech “I Am Prepared to Die.”

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