Document 9 - First letter from Nelson Mandela to Hendrik Verwoerd

Statement of principles

14. We believe that a conjuncture of circumstances exists which, if there is a demonstrable readiness on the part of the Pretoria regime to engage in negotiations genuinely and seriously, could create the possibility to end apartheid through negotiations. Such an eventuality would be an expression of the long standing preference of the majority of the people of South Africa to arrive at a political settlement.
15. We would therefore encourage the people of South Africa as part of their overall struggle to get together to negotiate an end to the apartheid system and agree on all the measures that are necessary to transform their country into a non racial democracy. We support the position held by the majority of the people of South Africa that these objectives and not the amendment or reform of the apartheid system should be the aims of the negotiations.
16. We are at one with them that the outcome of such a process should be a new constitutional order based on the following principles among others:
16.1 South Africa shall become a united, democratic and non-racial state.
16.2 All its people shall enjoy common and equal citizenship and nationality regardless of race, colour, sex, or creed.
16.3 All its people have the right to participate in the government and administration of the country on the basis of a universal suffrage, exercised through one person one vote, under a common voters' roll.
16.4 All shall have the right to form and join any political party of their choice provided that this is not in furtherance of racism.
16.5 All shall enjoy universally recognised human rights, freedoms and civil liberties, protected under an entrenched Bill of Rights.
16.6 South Africa shall have a new legal system which shall guarantee equality of all before the law.
16.7