CHRISTMAS WITH NELSON MANDELA, an eyewitness account of South Africa's first years of democracy

257pp., paperback, Low Battery Books, No Place, 2025

ISBN:  9781068337031

A collection of journalist Adrian Hadland's columns, feature articles, new stories and opinion pieces, written between 1994 to 2001, from Nelson Mandela's inauguration through to Thabo Mbeki's period as President.

Includes interviews with Nelson Mandela, FW De Klerk, Desmond Tutu, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Thabo Mbeki, Jacob Zuma, Constand Viljoen, Patricia De Lille, Cyril Ramaphosa, Frene Ginwala, Kader Asmal and Peter Hain, amongst others.

The writings, which appeared in several publications, including Publico newspaper in Spain, the Cape Argus, Drum magazine, the Saturday Star, the Sunday Independent, UPI and Business Day newspaper, are gathered together for the first time.

"South Africa's journey from apartheid to majority rule was one of the most remarkable stories of the twentieth century ... As a journalist, Adrian Hadland had privileged access to all the main players. And his unique first-hand account - written as events unfolded - provides insights other books on this much written about conflict cannot match. It is a gripping account from a man who was lucky enough to be in the room when it happened" Tom Collins

Adrian Hadland worked as a political editor and parliamentary correspondent in South Africa for more than 10 years, covering the period between the end of the "tricameral" government in the early 1990s and the third democratic election in 2004. He has published more than 20 books, including a biography of Nelson Mandela, an unauthorised biography of Thabo Mbeki and the memoirs of Kader Asmal. He is currently Chair of Journalism and Media Studies at the University of Stirling in the UK.