Be careful, think about the effect of what you say. Your words should be constructive, bring people together, not pull them apart.

Everybody now admits that apartheid was wrong, and all I did was tell the people who wanted to know where I come from how we lived in South Africa. I just told the world the truth. And if my truth then becomes political, I can't do anything about that.

I'm not a politician; I am a singer. Long ago, they said, 'That one, she sings politics.' I don't sing politics; I merely sing the truth.

If given a choice, I would have certainly selected to be what I am: one of the oppressed instead of one of the oppressors.

Age is getting to know all the ways the world turns, so that if you cannot turn the world the way you want, you can at least get out of the way so you won't get run over.

Africa has her mysteries, and even a wise man cannot understand them. But a wise man respects them

I have one thing in common with the emerging black nations of Africa: We both have voices, and we are discovering what we can do with them.