Nelson MandelaNelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa on July 18, 1918. His father was Chief Henry Mandela of the Tembu Tribe. Mandela was educated at University College of Fort Hare and the University of Witwatersrand and qualified in law in 1942. He joined the African National Congress in 1943, first as an activist, then as the founder and president of the ANC Youth League.
in 1952 opened a law practice in Johannesburg with his partner, Oliver Tambo - the first ever black law firm in South Africa! Together they campaigned against apartheid, the system devised by the all-white National Party which oppressed the black majority. Resistance to apartheid grew, mainly against the new Pass Laws, which dictated where black people were allowed to live and work. The ANC was outlawed in 1960 and Mr Mandela went underground. He was eventually arrested and charged with sabotage and attempting to violently overthrow the government. In the winter of 1964 he was sentenced to life in prison. In the space of 12 months between 1968 and 1969, Mr Mandela's mother died and his eldest son was killed in a car crash but he was not allowed to attend the funerals. Mandela served 27 years in prison, spending 18 of these years on Robben Island. Following his release from prison on 11 February 1990, Mandela led his party in the negotiations that led to multi-racial democracy in 1994. As president from 1994 to 1999, he frequently gave priority to reconciliation, while introducing policies aimed at combating poverty and inequality in South Africa. For example, Mandela encouraged black South Africans to get behind the previously hated Springboks (the South African national rugby team) as South Africa hosted the 1995 Rugby World Cup. After the Springboks won an epic final over New Zealand, Mandela presented the trophy to captain Francois Pienaar, wearing a Springbok shirt with Pienaar's own number 6 on the back. This was widely seen as a major step in the reconciliation of white and black South Africans. |