Thestruggleismylife
---NelsonMandelaElias’sstoryMynameisElias
IamapoorblackworkerinSouthAfrica
ThetimewhenIfirstmetNelsonMandelawasaverydifficultperiodofmylife
Iwastwelveyearsold
Itwasin1952andMandelawastheblacklawyertowhomIwentforadvice
Heofferedguidancetopoorblackpeopleontheirlegalproblems
Hewasgenerouswithhistime,forwhichIwasgrateful
IneededhishelpbecauseIhadverylittleeducation
Ibeganschoolatsix
TheschoolwhereIstudiedforonlytwoyearswasthreekilometersaway
Ihadtoleavebecausemyfamilycouldnotcontinuetopaytheschoolfeesandthebusfare
Icouldnotreadorwritewell
Aftertryinghard,Igotajobinagoldmine,however,thiswasatimewhenonehadgottohaveapassbooktoliveinJohannesburg
SadlyIdidnothaveitbecauseIwasnotbornthere,andIworriedaboutwhetherIwouldbecomeoutofwork
ThedaywhenNelsonMandelahelpedmewasoneofmyhappie