Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and political leader who became the country’s first black president in 1994. Mandela spent 27 years in prison for his activism against apartheid, a system of institutionalized racial segregation. Upon his release in 1990, he played a pivotal role in dismantling apartheid and fostering reconciliation between racial groups. Mandela’s leadership and commitment to justice earned him global acclaim, and he remains an iconic symbol of the struggle for equality and human rights.
Early Life and Background
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on July 18, 1918, in the small village of Mvezo in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. His father, Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa, was a chief of the Thembu people, a subgroup of the Xhosa nation, and his mother, Nosekeni Fanny, was one of Gadla’s four wives. The name “Rolihlahla,” in the Xhosa language, means “pulling the branch of a tree” or more colloquially, “troublemaker,” which would later prove to be both a prescient and ironic moniker given Mandela’s lifelong struggle against injustice.
Mandela’s early life was steeped in Thembu traditions and customs, and he was raised with a strong sense of duty to his people. His father passed away when Mandela was nine years old, and he was then placed under the guardianship of the Thembu regent, Chief Jongintaba Dalindyebo. The regent’s influence provided Mandela with opportunities for education that were rare for black South Africans at the time.
Education and Early Political Awakening
Mandela attended a mission school and then Healdtown, a Wesleyan secondary school of some repute. He was a diligent student and went on to study at the University College of Fort Hare, an elite black institution in Alice, Eastern Cape. At Fort Hare, Mandela’s political views began to take shape. He became involved in a student protest against the university’s policies and was expelled for his participation.
In 1941, to avoid an arranged marriage, Mandela ran away to Johannesburg, where he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree by correspondence through the University of South Africa. In Johannesburg, Mandela was introduced to the African National Congress (ANC) by Walter Sisulu, a key figure in Mandela’s political life. He also began working as a law clerk while completing his law degree at the University of Witwatersrand.
The ANC and the Defiance Campaign
Mandela’s involvement with the ANC deepened as he became a member of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL), which was formed in 1944. The ANCYL sought to invigorate the ANC with a new sense of militancy and urgency. Mandela quickly rose through the ranks and became a member of the ANC’s National Executive Committee.
In 1948, the National Party came to power in South Africa and began implementing the policy of apartheid, an institutionalized system of racial segregation and discrimination. In response, Mandela and the ANC launched the Defiance Campaign in 1952, a mass civil disobedience movement aimed at challenging apartheid laws. Mandela traveled across the country organizing resistance and galvanizing support. His leadership in the campaign earned him a national profile and he became the ANC’s Deputy National President.
The Formation of Umkhonto we Sizwe
Despite the initial successes of the Defiance Campaign, the apartheid regime’s response was brutal and unyielding. Mandela realized that nonviolent protest alone might not be sufficient to bring about change. In 1961, he co-founded Umkhonto we Sizwe (“Spear of the Nation”), the armed wing of the ANC, and became its first commander-in-chief. The group’s aim was to sabotage government installations and to signal that the resistance movement was prepared to escalate its tactics.
Mandela traveled abroad in 1962 to gain support for the ANC and received military training in Algeria and Ethiopia. Upon his return to South Africa, he was arrested and charged with inciting workers to strike and leaving the country without permission. He was sentenced to five years in prison, but this was only the beginning of his legal troubles.
The Rivonia Trial and Imprisonment
In 1963, police raided a farm in Rivonia, north of Johannesburg, where ANC leaders, including Mandela, were meeting. They discovered documents outlining a plan for guerrilla warfare and sabotage. Mandela and his co-defendants were charged with sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government. The Rivonia Trial, as it came to be known, attracted international attention. Mandela used the trial as a platform to denounce apartheid and articulate his vision for a free and equal South Africa.
In his famous speech from the dock, Mandela declared:
“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 an 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 1964, Mandela and seven others were sentenced to life imprisonment and sent to Robben Island, a maximum-security prison off the coast of Cape Town.
Years on Robben Island
Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison on Robben Island. The conditions were harsh; he was subjected to hard labor, minimal contact with the outside world, and severe restrictions on his communication with other prisoners. Despite these hardships, Mandela remained a symbol of resilience and continued his fight against apartheid from within the prison walls. He completed a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of London through a correspondence program and mentored younger inmates, earning the respect of both prisoners and some of the prison guards.
During this period, Mandela’s reputation as a leader of the anti-apartheid struggle grew. International pressure on the South African government mounted, and the global anti-apartheid movement gained momentum. Mandela’s imprisonment became a focal point for activists around the world.
Negotiations and Release
In the 1980s, the apartheid regime, facing increasing internal resistance and international isolation, began to reconsider its policies. Secret negotiations between Mandela and government officials began in 1985. These talks were aimed at finding a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict.
In 1989, F.W. de Klerk became president of South Africa and initiated a series of reforms, including the unbanning of the ANC and other political organizations. On February 11, 1990, after 27 years of imprisonment, Nelson Mandela was released from Victor Verster Prison. His release was a momentous event, broadcast worldwide, and marked the beginning of a new era in South African history.
Leadership and the End of Apartheid
Mandela immediately took up the leadership of the ANC and began negotiations with the government to end apartheid. These negotiations were fraught with challenges, including violent clashes between political factions and deep-seated mistrust. However, Mandela’s commitment to reconciliation and his ability to bring people together were instrumental in moving the process forward.
In 1993, Mandela and President de Klerk were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to dismantle apartheid and lay the groundwork for a democratic South Africa. The following year, South Africa held its first multiracial elections, and on May 10, 1994, Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the country’s first black president.
Presidency and Legacy
Mandela’s presidency (1994-1999) was marked by efforts to heal the deep divisions within South African society. He established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, to address the atrocities committed during the apartheid era. The TRC aimed to promote forgiveness and reconciliation rather than retribution, allowing victims to share their stories and perpetrators to confess their crimes in exchange for amnesty.
Mandela also focused on nation-building and improving the living standards of black South Africans, who had been marginalized for decades. His government implemented policies to expand access to education, healthcare, and housing, and to stimulate economic growth.
Mandela chose not to seek re-election after his first term, setting a powerful example of democratic leadership and the peaceful transfer of power. After stepping down from the presidency, he continued his activism, advocating for peace, human rights, and the fight against HIV/AIDS, which had become a major crisis in South Africa.
Global Icon and Final Years
Nelson Mandela’s influence extended far beyond the borders of South Africa. He became a global icon of resistance to oppression and a symbol of dignity and forgiveness. He traveled extensively, meeting with world leaders, addressing the United Nations, and participating in various humanitarian initiatives.
In his later years, Mandela faced health challenges, including recurring respiratory infections. Despite his declining health, he remained an active and revered figure. Mandela passed away on December 5, 2013, at the age of 95. His death was met with an outpouring of grief and tributes from around the world.