Transcript for This day in history: Feb. 12, 1990

Good evening this was Nelson Mandela's first full day of freedom and he spent it in South Africa much as he did his last day of freedom. 27 years ago waging political battle on behalf of his people. At the moment Mandela speaks for the very powerful voice listened to in Europe and America as well as Africa today he said that the African National Congress in the south African government. Could sit down to negotiate the future. Only when the state of emergency was lifted and other political prisoners were freed. The arms struggle would continue he said as long as blacks needed to defend themselves against the racial rules. Under which they lips in South Africa tonight ABC's Ted Koppel. Peter as your anonymous certainly know we live in an age of media awareness. Television networks from all over the world have set up their camera positions on flatbed trucks across from the Mandela home here in the black township of Soweto. In anticipation of Nelson Mandela's arrival here this evening. His advisors opted to keep him in a more secure location for the night. And even though the rest of so where there was quiet this evening groups of young men and women but maintained a lively backdrop for the cameras. In Cape Town this morning mr. Mondello who spent the night with his family at the official residence of South Africa's Anglican archbishop Desmond to enter mr. Mandela also acknowledged the importance of communicating with the rest of the world. By a holding his first news conference. He was asked whether after 47 years in prison he harbored any bitterness. I haven't lost a great deal. Although those with the civilians. In Baghdad my wife couldn't be kinda forms social. Pressure. And that it is not. And nice community for a man. Accuracy he's funny. Struggling. With our security. Was how could be getting you can all he headed up if I didn't I didn't. As Mandela left the archbishop's residence to do sent him off with a benediction. Indeed although Mandela is widely loved and admired there are fears for his safety. In the black township of Soweto where Mandela has his home they were waiting for an thousands. Of school children who took the day off. And at a nearby soccer stadium built to hold 80000 to nearly double that number shored up to attend a rally. They never knew it but Mandela was delayed in Cape Town by a courtesy call from Jesse Jackson and by meetings with his advisors. Eventually the rally dispersed rescheduled now. In the rush to leave the stadium some of the spectators were crushed against a retaining fence. Many miles away the Mandela's arrived on chartered planes at a private airport outside Johannesburg. Raising their fists in the black solidarity salute. Before being driven off to a private house in a predominantly Pointe suburb of Johannesburg. They are expecting a lot of Nelson Mandela being a political prisoner must've been excruciatingly difficult but now. He faces what may be an even more daunting task. Unraveling of accordion knot of south African race relations.

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