Neil Williams One Step Behind Mandela by Rory Steyn and Deborah Patta (Zebra) One Step Behind Mandela is the story of the journey Rory Steyn made from being an apartheid supporter to being responsible for the protection of Nelson Mandela’s life between 1990 and 1994.
Steyn, who had served with pride in the security branch, relates the turning point in his thinking about Mandela and the ANC. He was accused of complicity in the bombing of Khotso House by another security branch member, an accusation he denies. He told Mandela this, but Mandela was still prepared to accept him as the man in charge of his personal security. “My respect and admiration for him grew a thousandfold that day,” writes Steyn. “… I was completely sold on Nelson Mandela.”
The book is structured in a way that reveals Mandela’s value system, as well as showing the changes in Steyn’s values. Now the faithful servant of a new order, Steyn discovers a new set of values, but he does not question the world of power he observes.
One Step Behind Mandela is not well written, but it is an interesting story about one individual and his time.