IT is highly unlikely that President Nelson Mandela will sue his former prison warder, James Gregory, for breach of copyright, following the publication of his autobiography Goodbye Bafana, say sources in Mandela’s office.
Not only has the president’s office stopped leaking criticism, but African National Congress Western Cape leader Reverend Chris Nissen was a surprise guest speaker at the launch of the book in Cape Town this week, endorsing its message of reconciliation between white and black South Africans.
Gregory said this week that he too was surprised to see Nissen at the launch but feels that his speech – which was full of warm praise and reconciliation rhetoric – “cleared the air”. Nissen said that he had spoken at the launch out of “politeness”.
As the acrimony dies down, it is still not clear who was the injured party in the first place. Mandela’s spokesperson, Parks Mankahlana, has refused to comment at any stage about the book, referring all questions to the president’s lawyer, Ismael Ayob. Ayob, in turn, has refused to talk to the press directly, but confirmed by fax that he has not received instructions to act against Gregory’s publishers.
Although the early launches of the book were overshadowed by reports that Mandela – or at least his office – was unhappy with the book, it appears that the added publicity has not harmed its chances of success. The publishers are translating the book into six different European languages, releasing it in at least nine countries and want to see it on the big screen.
Susanna Lea of Robert Laffont – the company which holds the international rights to the book – said that a deal with a film company had not yet been made, but they were hoping one would by the end of the year.
The most outspoken critic of the book is Iqbal Meer, Mandela’s London solicitor and nephew of ANC stalwart Fatima Meer, who wrote what her nephew calls the “official” biography of Mandela, Higher than Hope.
Speaking from his modest home in Plumstead, Cape Town, this week, Gregory said how upset he had been when the first newspaper reports appeared indicating Mandela’s displeasure at parts of the book which were not strictly factual and extracts of letters which were printed without permission.
Gregory said that he would have happily left out the letters, if he had known they would cause pain. He said he was satisfied with the final draft, though he admitted that British ghostwriter Bob Graham had used poetic licence to make some passages more