Only moments before, the highest generals of the South African defence force and police ... saluted me and pledged their loyalty. ... not so many years before they would not have saluted ___
The missing words are but arrested me.
This statement by Nelson Mandela highlights the dramatic shift from the oppressive apartheid regime to a democratic government. Previously, the military and police upheld the system of white supremacy and racial domination, treating Mandela as a criminal. On inauguration day, the same generals saluted him, demonstrating their loyalty to democracy and the new, freely elected government. This contrast emphasizes the end of an inhumane system and the birth of a society based on human dignity.
Explanation
The textbook extract explicitly states, 'I was not unmindful of the fact that not so many years before they would not have saluted but arrested me.' This fill-in-the-blank question tests the student's understanding of the text and the historical context. Under the previous regime of racial domination, the police and military enforced white supremacy and viewed anti-apartheid leaders as criminals. The shift from arresting Mandela to saluting him as President symbolizes the triumph of democracy over oppression.
Solution Steps
Step 1: Locate the relevant sentence in the context: 'I was not unmindful of the fact that not so many years before they would not have saluted but arrested me.'
Step 2: Identify the missing words to fill the blank: 'but arrested me'.
Step 3: Explain the significance of the contrast for the 2-mark short answer: the shift from the generals enforcing racial domination (arresting Mandela) to pledging loyalty to democracy (saluting him).