Mandela’s imprisonment and the CIA

This video from South Africa says about itself:

26 June 2013

Nelson Mandela‘s Speech, made on the stairs of the Cape Town City Hall, 11 Febuary 1990 opposite the Grand Parade and a stone’s throw from the Castle. This was the official day of his release from prison in which he traveled to Cape Town and made his freedom speech on the steps of the Cape Town City Hall.

I was a editor in the UK when I was asked if I would like to return to SA and cover the release of Nelson Mandela. This was 6 months before the announcement was made to the rest of the world. The day before Nelson Mandela‘s release I think CBS and BBC formed a coalition to cover the release from Victor Verster prison with what they call “pool cameras” and then sell the material to all the other news agencies worldwide. Basically all the independents where thrown off the prison location so I decided to set up a crane with crew on the Grand Parade which actually worked out with me being the only one who got virtually the entire speech.

I have held this material in stock for years and suddenly it dawned on me that the material needs to be archived correctly in case of loss or damage. I approached the SA government for assistance as I have lots of historically [relevant] material that needs to be archived correctly and was basically declined any assistance. Well the next best thing was to finance it myself and put it on YouTube so at least there is a archive where it cannot get lost as it is a very significant historical document. This material is not even archived in the foundation or any other historical archives in South Africa!

This is the raw footage captured on the day of his release and the only enhancement has been to improve the audio track. This material needs to be professionally archived when I can raise the funding.

To celebrate his life all are welcome to use this material.

RIP.

From Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting in the USA (from 1990 after Nelson Mandela‘s release from prison. However, also relevant to many Mandela obituaries in corporate media today):

CIA Role in Mandela’s Capture?

March 1 1990

While the mass media devoted hours of broadcast time and scores of articles to Mandela’s release, they missed a key part of the story on how he got to prison in the first place–namely, the CIA’s reported role in luring Mandela to his capture.

Mandela was arrested in August 1962, while traveling disguised as a chauffeur. According to 1986 reports in the South African press, Mandela had been on his way to a top secret meeting with the U.S. consul in Durban, South Africa–Donald Rickard, a diplomat reputed to be a CIA officer. Rickard, the reports said, had tipped off the South African authorities to the time and place of his meeting with Mandela, allowing him to be apprehended.

This story was referred to on CBS Evening News (8/5/86), in an op-ed column in the New York Times (10/13/86), and it received extensive coverage in the Fall/Winter 1986 National Reporter. But in all the reporting on Mandela’s release, FAIR saw no mention of the CIA’s reputed role in his capture.

Here’s how American conservatives turned a blind eye to South African apartheid: here.

On December 22, 1963, exactly one month after the assassination of President John Kennedy, former President Harry S. Truman published an opinion piece in the Washington Post entitled “Limit CIA Role.” The Post removed the editorial from its afternoon and evening editions: here.