- THE MANDELA DOCUMENT A document presented by Nelson Mandela to P.W. Botha before their meeting on 5 July 1989 INTRODUCTION Twenty seven years is a very long time in the life of a human being. Long enough for a child to grow into adulthood; long enough for a generation of peers to pass away; long enough for once renowned acts of courage and defiance to recede into vague memories; long enough for ...www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/mandela/64-90/doc890705.html