The inauguration of Nelson Mandela as president of the Republic of South Africa goes down in the annals of history as a most memorable moment. Imagine historians a hundred years from now trying to recreate the excitement and the significance of what took place in Pretoria and Capetown in 1994. Three centuries of bitter and harsh white rule were brought to a close as Mandela was elected the first black president by its first all-race parliament. What dramatized that election was the fact that Mr. Mandela had patiently endured 27 years of imprisonment because he protested the system of apartheid. He had refused freedom when he was offered the opportunity to return to his home province without the opportunity to actively continue his protest. His patience and hope were rewarded by those who s…