JESSIE DUARTE

Madiba’s special assistant

I remember that moment alone the hour before he made the inauguration speech, just alone him by himself in that room. When it finally hit home that they’ve achieved it. They’ve come this far, they’ve got to this point, something that had eluded them for 27 years, that took a hard fight, that many people had died for.

I’ve never seen Madiba sitting that quiet – he always fidgeted a bit – but there was that moment.

‘I’ve never seen Madiba sitting that quiet – he always fidgeted a bit’