Summary

In Part Seven, Mandela crosses the border by car back into South Africa. A number of police cars surround him and produce an arrest warrant. On August 5, 1962, he is arrested on charges of incitement to strike and leaving illegally from the country and is subsequently taken back to Johannesburg and locked in a cell by himself. He realizes that Walter Sisulu is imprisoned there as well. He is then transferred to Pretoria. The initial hearing is set for October 15, 1962.

The ANC has set up a Free Mandela campaign and protests are held throughout the country. He enters court wearing traditional Xhosa leopard-skin kaross instead of a suit and tie. Mandela, who plans to serve as his own lawyer, with Joe Slovo as legal advisor, calls no witnesses for the defense. Instead, he declares simply that he is “guilty of no crime” (328). He...