Biography of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

The life of Nelson Mandela is without a doubt a fascinating one. Fewer men in history have done so much in the name of equality, freedom and peace. Nearly every nation in the world is interested in the biography of Nelson Mandela. The Nelson Mandela biography is sought everywhere. This is a man who transcends all languages. His biography exists virtually everywhere and in every language. He was, and is, a powerful and peaceful man. So where does the Nelson Mandela story begin?

In the small village of Mvezo , in the Transkien territories of South Africa, the Nelson Mandela bio began on July 18, 1918. He was not born with the name Nelson, but with his African name Rolihlahla , which literally means –pulling the branch of a tree, or in it's colloquial sense 'troublemaker' ( It seems Rohlihlahla Nelson Mandela certainly lived up to his given name, but in the best of ways).

No Nelson Mandela history would be complete without knowing who his parents were. His father was Henry Mgadla Mandela. Mgadla was one of the main councillors to the acting chief of the Thembu tribe. The Mandela name itself comes from one of the royal's in the Thembu tribe on Nelson's grandfather's side. Due to his grandmother's position though, that branch of the family was unable to succeed the throne. His mother was Nonqaphi Nosekeni. She was Mgadla's third wife. (Interestingly the famous Nelson Mandela has also had three wives).

Rohlihlahla's father died when the boy was nine years old (from tuberculosis). The Mandela biography continues with the young Mandela coming under the guardianship of Jongintaba Dalindyebo, who was regent and an heir to the Thembu throne.

Rohlihlahla Mandela was the first of his father's family to receive formal schooling. It was his school teacher Miss Mdingane who gave him the English name Nelson.

Nelson Mandela then went on to finish his Junior Certificate from a Wesleyan school and on to college where he studied for a Bachelor of Arts. Engaging in a boycott against university policies at the Fort Hare he was essentially kicked out and the Nelson Mandela story moved on.

Rejecting an arranged marriage from his guardian (regent Jongintaba) Manela Rohililaha Nelson escaped to Johannesburg. He completed his degree through correspondence and eventually became involved in the ANC (African National Council). From there it seems there was no looking back.

Once he became involved in the ANC there was no looking back in the Nelson Mandela life. Mandela and those who were with him took many actions against the injustice of apartheid. A system where one's color discriminated so totally against the basic laws of freedom was unthinkable (just as slavery) and yet it was a reality.

The Nelson Mandela bio continues with him becoming the leader of the African National Councils Umkhonto weSiswe - the armed wing. They organized protests and sabotages to bring to light the inequality that was happening throughout South Africa. While Mandela had worked hard to bring about understanding and change through peaceful methods, military and government targets were bombed (always with no intention of physical harm) to get the message across.

In 1962 Nelson Mandela was arrested and sent to prison. Many other ANC leaders were also arrested at this time. The biography of Nelson Mandela has much to show of the work he carried out during his imprisonment. He never gave up the struggle. He wrote many books and his main place of imprisonment came to be known as a place of learning. A man of peace, the Nelson Mandela life involves nearly 27 years of imprisonment. Songs have been written, and praises sung. The call for freedom was heard around the world.

Under President de Klerk, Nelson Mandela was finally released from prison in 1990. He returned as the leader of the ANC and fought on for freedom. Along with deKlerk he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

Nelson Mandela 1994 is elected president of South Africa; A triumph for equality and a triumph for peace. The world rejoiced in finally seeing a wrong come right. This does not mean that there is total equality and peace in South Africa yet. What it does mean is that one man who stands firm can make a difference for millions. The Nelson Mandela story is one of hope for all mankind.

Nelson Mandela opened his law office in 1952, and a few months later teamed up with Tambo to create the first Black legal practice in South Africa. It was difficult for both Mandela and Tambo to find time for both their legal practice and their political aspirations. That year Mandela became president of the Transvaal ANC, but was banned under the Suppression of Communism Act – he was prohibited from holding office within the ANC, banned from attending ANY meetings, and restricted to the district around Johannesburg.

On 5 December 1956, in response to the adoption of the Freedom Charter at the Congress of the People, the Apartheid government in South Africa arrested a total 156 people, including Chief Albert Luthuli (president of the ANC) and Nelson Mandela. This was almost the entire executive of the African National Congress (ANC), Congress of Democrats, South African Indian Congress, Coloured People's Congress, and the South African Congress of Trade Unions (collectively known as the Congress Alliance). They were charged with "high treason and a countrywide conspiracy to use violence to overthrow the present government and replace it with a communist state." The punishment for high treason was death. The Treason Trial dragged on, until Mandela and his 29 remaining co-accused were finally acquitted in March 1961. During the Treason Trial Nelson Mandela met and married his second wife, Nomzamo Winnie Madikizela.

The 1955 Congress of the People and its moderate stance against the policies of the Apartheid government eventually led to the younger, more radical members of the ANC to break away: the Pan Africanist Congress, PAC, was formed in 1959 under the leadership of Robert Sobukwe. The ANC and PAC became instant rivals, especially in the townships. This rivalry came to a head when the PAC rushed ahead of ANC plans to hold mass protests against the pass laws. On 21 March 1960 at least 180 black Africans were injured and 69 killed when the South African police opened fire on approximately demonstrators at Sharpeville.

Both the ANC and PAC responded in 1961 by setting up military wings. Nelson Mandela, in what was a radical departure from ANC policy, was instrumental in creating the ANC group: Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation, MK), and Mandela became the MK's first commander. Both the ANC and PAC were banned by the South African government under the Unlawful Organisations Act in 1961. The MK, and the PAC's Poqo, responded by commencing with campaigns of sabotage.

In 1962 Nelson Mandela was smuggled out of South Africa. He first attended and addressed the conference of African nationalist leaders, the Pan-African Freedom Movement, in Addis Ababa. From there he went to Algeria to undergo guerrilla training, and then flew to London to catch up with Oliver Tambo (and also to meet members of the British parliamentary opposition). On his return to South Africa, Mandela was arrested and sentenced to five years for "incitement and illegally leaving the country".

On 11 July 1963 a raid was undertaken on Lilieslief farm in Rivonia, near Johannesburg, which was being used by the MK as headquarters. The remaining leadership of the MK was arrested. Nelson Mandela was included at trial with those arrested at Lilieslief and charged with over 200 counts of "sabotage, preparing for guerrilla warfare in SA, and for preparing an armed invasion of SA". Mandela was one of five (out of the ten defendants) at the Rivonia Trail to be given life sentences and sent to Robben Island. Two more were released, and the remaining three escaped custody and were smuggled out of the country.

In 1976 Nelson Mandela was approached with an offer by Jimmy Kruger, the Minister for Police serving under President BJ Vorster, to renounce the struggle and settle in the Transkei. Mandela refused. By 1982 international pressure against the South African government to release Nelson Mandela and his compatriots was growing. The then South African president, PW Botha, arranged for Mandela and Sisulu to be transferred back to the mainland to Pollsmoor Prison, near Cape Town. In August 1985, approximately a month after the South African government declares a state of emergency, Mandela was taken to hospital for an enlarged prostate gland. On his return to Pollsmoor he was placed in solitary confinement (having a whole section of the jail to himself).

In 1986 Nelson Mandela was taken to see the Minister of Justice, Kobie Coetzee, who requested once again that he 'renounce violence' in order to win his freedom. Despite refusing, restrictions on Mandela were somewhat lifted: he was allowed visits from his family, and was even driven around Cape Town by the prison warder. In May 1988 Mandela was diagnosed with tuberculosis and moved to Tygerberg hospital for treatment. On release from hospital he was moved to 'secure quarters' at Victor Verster Prison near Paarl.

By 1989 things were looking bleak for the Apartheid regime: PW Botha had a stroke, and shortly after 'entertaining' Mandela at the Tuynhuys, the presidential residence in Cape Town, he resigned. FW de Klerk was appointed as his successor. Mandela met with De Klerk in December 1989, and the following year at the opening of parliament (2 February) De Klerk announced the unbanning of all political parties and the release of political prisoners (except those guilty of violent crimes). On 11 February 1990 Nelson Mandela was finally released.

By 1991 the Convention for a Democratic South Africa, CODESA, was set up to negotiate constitutional change in South Africa. Both Mandela and De Klerk were key figures in the negotiations, and their efforts were jointly awarded in December 1993 with the Nobel Peace Prize. When South Africa's first multi-racial elections were held in April 1994, the ANC won a 62% majority. (Mandela revealed later that he was worried that it would achieve the 67% majority that would allow it to re-write the constitution.) A Government of National Unity, GNU, was formed – based on an idea proffered by Joe Slovo, the GNU could last for up to five years as a new constitution was drawn up. It was hoped that this would allay the fears of South Africa's whites population suddenly faced with majority Black rule.

On 10 May 1994 Nelson Mandela made his inaugural presidential speech from the Union Building, Pretoria:

"We have at last, achieved our political emancipation. we pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender, and other discrimination. Never, never, and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another... Let freedom reign. God Bless Africa!"

Shortly after he published his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom.

In 1997 Nelson Mandela stepped down as leader of the ANC in favour of Thabo Mbeki, and in 1999 he relinquished the post of president. Despite claims to have retired, Mandela continues to have a busy life. He was divorced from Winnie Madikizela-Mandela in 1996, the same year that the press realised he was having a relationship with Graça Machel, the widow of Mozambique's former president. After heavy prompting by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela and Graça Machel were married on his eightieth birthday, 18 July 1998.