Two very interesting offices were allocated to Cyril and me. Cyril moved into the office formerly used by the head of state. That was the very same office in which John Vorster, 20 years earlier, had made those uninspiring comments about the political future of the ‘urban blacks’. Now an ANC-leader from our urban areas was being asked to lead a process to ensure that the legitimate political aspirations of all South Africans would be accommodated in the Constitution. 

Next to this office was a committee room, where the head of state used to receive delegations when parliament was in session. I had been in that very same committee room where PW Botha received delegations from the House of Delegates and the House of Representatives – he scolded them because they didn’t take a firm stand against the communist onslaught and they didn’t support him when he pushed further security legislation through parliament. 

It was in that office that the executive of the CA met every week to manage the CA process so that it would remain on track.  

Often when I visited Ramaphosa in his office or sat in the committee room under his stewardship, I could see Vorster and Botha in my mind’s eye; sometimes I had mock debates with them about the current events. I frequently had to pinch myself to appreciate how profound the changes were that I was privileged to witness at close range.