Invictus Quotes

[last lines]

Nelson Mandela: I thank whatever gods may be / For my unconquerable soul. / I am the master of my fate / I am the captain of my soul.

Brenda Mazibuko: You're risking your political capital, you're risking your future as our leader.

Nelson Mandela: The day I am afraid to do that is the day I am no longer fit to lead.

Nerine: [after Francois returns from his tea with President Mandela] So, what's he like?

Francois Pienaar: [pauses] He's unlike any person I've ever met.

Jason Tshabalala: There are four Special Branch cops in my office.

Nelson Mandela: Why, what did you do?

Nelson Mandela: [as match is about to begin] Perhaps we should make a little wager?

New Zealand PM: All your gold for all our sheep?

Nelson Mandela: Well, I was thinking more along the lines of a case of wine.

[first lines]

High School Boy: [seeing passing motorcade] Who is it, sir?

High School Coach: It's the terrorist Mandela, they let him out. Remember this day boys, this is the day our country went to the dogs.

Etienne Feyder: When does he take a break?

Staff Member: He says he rested enough in prison.

Nelson Mandela: How do you inspire your team to do their best?

Francois Pienaar: By example. I've always thought to lead by example, sir.

Nelson Mandela: Well, that is right. That is exactly right. But how do we get them to be better then they think they CAN be? That is very difficult, I find. Inspiration, perhaps. How do we inspire ourselves to greatness when nothing less will do? How do we inspire everyone around us? I sometimes think it is by using the work of others.

Television Announcer: Tell us Mr. President, have you always been a rugby fan?

Nelson Mandela: People don't realize that I played rugby myself when I was a student at Fort Hare. It is a very rough game, almost as rough as politics.

Nerine: Thinking about tomorrow?

Francois Pienaar: No. Tomorrow's taken care of, one way or another. I was thinking about how you spend 30 years in a tiny cell, and come out ready to forgive the people who put you there.

Francois Pienaar: I've been invited to tea.

Nerine: With who?

Francois Pienaar: The President.

Mr. Pienaar: Who, President of the SA Rugby? Count your fingers...

Francois Pienaar: [pointing at the TV] No, the President.

Linga Moonsamy: Morning, Madiba

Nelson Mandela: [jogging with bodyguards] How are you?

Linga Moonsamy: Fine, thanks.

Hendrick Booyens: Morning, sir.

Nelson Mandela: How is your family, Hendrick?

Hendrick Booyens: Top shape, sir. How about yours?

[Madiba stops running, and looks at Hendrick]

Nelson Mandela: [weary] I have a very large family, 42 million. I don't think I'll walk today.

[goes back inside]

Linga Moonsamy: We never, never ask him about his family.

Hendrick Booyens: But he asks us about ours all the time!

Linga Moonsamy: Hey, think about it, man. He's separated from his wife, his children. How often do you see them here, huh? He's not a saint, okay? He's a man, with a man's problems. He doesn't need us reminding him about them.

Nelson Mandela: [Pienaar just lead his team to an unexpected victory in the world cup. Mandela is presenting him with the trophy] Thank you for what you have done for your country.

Francois Pienaar: No, Mr. President. Thank YOU, for what you have done for our country.

[observing an Afrikaans newspaper headline]

Jason Tshabalala: I wonder what it says...

Nelson Mandela: [reads the headline] "He may win an election, but can he run a country?"

Jason Tshabalala: Not even your first day on the job, and they're already after you.

Nelson Mandela: It's a legitimate question...

[appearing at the South African Sports Committee, after they had elected to disband the Springbok rugby team]

Nelson Mandela: Brothers, sisters, comrades: I am here because I believe you have made a decision with insufficient information and foresight. I am aware of your earlier vote. I am aware that it was unanimous. Nonetheless, I believe we should restore the Springboks; restore their name, their emblem and their colors, immediately. Let me tell you why. On Robben Island, in Pollsmoor Prison, all of my jailers were Afrikaners. For 27 years, I studied them. I learned their language, read their books, their poetry. I had to know my enemy before I could prevail against him. And we DID prevail, did we not? All of us here... we prevailed. Our enemy is no longer the Afrikaner. They are our fellow South Africans, our partners in democracy. And they treasure Springbok rugby. If we take that away, we lose them. We prove that we are what they feared we would be. We have to be better than that. We have to surprise them with compassion, with restraint and generosity; I know, all of the things they denied us. But this is no time to celebrate petty revenge. This is the time to build our nation using every single brick available to us, even if that brick comes wrapped in green and gold. You elected me your leader. Let me lead you now.

Brenda Mazibuko: I'm sorry, Madiba, but we've got problems everywhere we look: housing, food, jobs, crime, our currency. You can't keep interrupting affairs of state to placate a minority!

Nelson Mandela: But I must. Because that minority still controls the police, the army, and the economy. If we lose them, we cannot address the other issues.

Brenda Mazibuko: So, this rugby is a political calculation...?

Nelson Mandela: It is a HUMAN calculation. If we take away what they cherish; the Springboks, their national anthem, we just reinforce the cycle of fear between us.

Etienne Feyder: Well, you know what they say about soccer. It's a gentleman's game played by hooligans. On the other hand, rugby is a hooligan's game played by gentlemen.

Linga Moonsamy: Ja, ja, ja, I heard that one before. And it wasn't funny the first time.

Etienne Feyder: Mr. Jason Tshabalala?

Jason Tshabalala: That's me. Am I under arrest?

Etienne Feyder: Captain Feyder and team reporting for duty, sir.

Jason Tshabalala: What duty?

Etienne Feyder: We're the presidential bodyguard. We've been assigned to this office. Here are our orders.

[holds out a booklet for Jason to look at]

Linga Moonsamy: You're Special Branch, right?

Etienne Feyder: You'll see that they've been signed.

Jason Tshabalala: Well, I don't care if they've been signed...

[sees Mandela's signature]

Jason Tshabalala: Just wait here.

[goes to see Mandela]

Francois Pienaar: Can I ask you a question, Lieutenant?

Hendrick Booyens: Ja, of course.

Francois Pienaar: What's he like?

Hendrick Booyens: When I worked for the previous President, it was my job to be invisible. This President... Well, he found out I like English toffee, and he brought me some back from his visit to England.

Johan De Villiers: Francois, a few words. Great game, but you couldn't have done it without the support of 63,000 South Africans here today.

Francois Pienaar: No, we didn't have the support of 60,000 South Africans, we had the support of 43 million South Africans!