Question

What does Mandela mean he say he is simply sum of all those african patriots who had gone before him

Answer 1

Answer:

As Mandela was carrying forward the baton of the freedom struggle, he was also carrying the legacy of leaders of yesteryears. In a baton race the new runner simply carries forward the work done by his predecessors. This is what Nelson Mandela was doing. That is what he was trying to convey by making this statement.

Answer 2

Through this statement, Mandela means that he can identify with the sacrifices of all those noble and courageous men who contributed and fought for the collective freedom of the African people.