Marcia L. Fudge Quotes

I have always had great respect for former president Mandela. The personal sacrifices he made in order to achieve what was right for the people of South Africa is something I carry with me every day.

Mandela's political evolution was gradual.

It was fortunate in looking back for South Africa and its entire people that Mandela and I found it possible to work together even though big strains developed between us from time to time.

Nelson Mandela was an outstanding leader and a mentor for me. I was in South Africa at the time he was released. I was in South Africa when he was inaugurated as the first president.

Come look at the television. Nelson Mandela is being released from prison in South Africa. This is the most important event in your lifetime.

One of my biggest regrets ever was not taking the time to go to South Africa to meet Nelson Mandela. That is a big regret of mine. I should have figured out a way.

Mandela was chosen as a symbol of the South African struggle, and he did that great. But I wasn't just happy for him. I was happy for the people.

Unsurprisingly, Nelson Mandela had and still has many detractors.

In South Africa, there is only one name that every child knows, every leader invokes, and every grandparent tells their grandchildren about. Madiba.

Mandela once phoned me out of the blue while he was still president, and at first he played with me a bit.

It's a blessing that South Africa has a man like Nelson Mandela.

It was an honour for me to have been able to work with Mr. Mandela in the process that led to the adoption of the interim constitution and our first democratic elections in April 1994.

Obviously because of my personal connection to Mandela and having had his story as part of my childhood, I knew how awesome he was.

Mandela always came forward and presented himself as a leading figure in the ANC. He ignored office as the criterion of leadership and very often he did and said things which should have been said by those who held office. Yet, he would say it. It was perhaps a kind of supreme confidence. I don't know if one could call it arrogance, but he was very confident, maybe over confident in himself. He was regarded as fearless. It was known that he was fearless as a person. He was always ready to volunteer to be the first to do something, anything that had to be done, Mandela would volunteer to do it.

Mr. De Klerk does not get the credit that he deserves [for dismantling apartheid.]

I want to see Nelson walking down the streets of South Africa; I want to see him walking hand-in-hand with Winnie Mandela.

For those who may not know, it was the CBC that put in place the legislation that put sanctions against South Africa to end apartheid, and that took Mandela off the terrorist list.

I was married to the ANC. It was the best marriage I ever had.

I always wanted to meet Nelson Mandela, and I have friends who knew him, but I didn't get to meet Mandela. I always thought he was a spectacular character.

If I win gold, I will dedicate it to Nelson Mandela. He is a hero in South Africa, and everything I do, I do for him.

I am forever indebted to the ANC, the liberation movement I have served almost all my life.

The A.N.C. was established in 1912 and the S.A. Communist Party in 1921, and so there has been an overlapping of membership all along the line.

I look forward to working with President Trump. I've worked with him many times in the past, but we disagree.

It's very interesting how Washington works. It's not about speeches. It's about relationships.

Whenever I am asked who I admire most among the leaders I have met, I have no hesitation in naming Nelson Mandela.