Africa

The Leader who brought them into a new world: Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela was in a country where the minority had complete control over the population. Lying to its people and constant repression, it was this government that at one point even called Nelson Mandela a terrorist, ironic. In my mind this in itself is a form of terrorism as much as gaddafi was a terrorist to his country.

Nelson Mandela is credited with bringing South Africa up from its ashes in a time when racism and unfairness was all throughout the country. Rolihlahla Mandela was born into the Madiba clan in Mvezo, Transkei, on July 18, 1918. His father died in 1927, and during primary school his school teacher gave him the name Nelson, when it was custom to give school children Christian names.

Nelson Mandela began studying for a Bachelor or Arts Degree at the University College of Fort Hare but did not complete the degree after he was expelled for joining in a student protest. He did however end up completing his BA through the University of South Africa and went back to Fort Hare for his graduation in 1943.

He joined the African National Congress in 1944 when he helped formed the ANC Youth League. He rose through ranks of the ANCYL. In 1952 he was chosen at the National Volunteer-in-Chief of the Defiance Campaign with Maulvi Cachalia as his deputy. In this campaign of civil disobedience against six unjust laws was a joint programme between the ANC and the South African Indian Congress. He and 19 others were charged under the Suppression of Communism Act because of their part in the campaign then were sentenced for 9 months hard labor suspended for two years.

Banned in 1952 he could only watch in secret as the Freedom charter was adopted at Kliptown in 1955. He was then arrested in 1955 when a countrywide police swoop happened and 156 activists were arrested and they found themselves in trials until each was acquitted, Mandela being on March 29 1961.

On October 1963 Nelson Mandela and 9 other were put on trial for sabotage in what became known as the Rivonia Trial. They all were facing the death penalty when he  made one of his famous speeches “Speech from the dock ”

“I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is and ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

In October 1963 Nelson Mandela and 7 of the others were sentenced to life in prison, Denis Goldberg was sent to Pretoria prison because he was white while the rest were sent to Robben Island.

Nelson’s mother died in 1968 and his eldest son Thembi in 1969 but Nelson was no allowed to attend their funerals. In 1988 he was treated for Tuberculosis and transferred to a house at Victor Verster Prison near Paarl. On a sunday, February 11, 1990 he was released just nine days after the unbanning of the ANC and the PAC and almost 4 months after the release of the remaining Rivonia comrads. Throughout his imprisonment he declined 3 offers to be released. And after he was finally released he immersed himself into official talks to end white minority rule and in 1991 he was elected ANC President.

In 1993 he won the Nobel Peace prize with Frederick de Klerk “for their work for the peaceful termination of the apartheid regime, and for laying the foundations for a new democratic South Africa”

And in 1994 he voted for the very first time in his life.

May 10 1994 Nelson Mandela was inaugurated South Africa’s first democratically elected President.

1999, true to his word he stepped down after one term.

South Africa

Even though today the United States does have close ties with South Africa, people assume the relationship is still young but The United States has kept an official presence in South Africa since 1799 when they opened an American consulate in Cape Town.