Nelson mandela biography prison

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The ANC, with 65% of the vote, were elected and Nelson Mandela became the first President of the new South Africa.

“The time for the healing of the wounds has come.

Mandela became the best known black leader and was symbolic of the struggle against the apartheid regime. (See: full speech)

Time in Prison

Mandela’s death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment and from 1964 –1981 he was incarcerated at Robben Island Prison, off Cape Town. With each passing year, support grew louder, culminating in a mobilized grassroots movement.

He was transferred to Robben Island in May 1963 only to be brought back to Pretoria again in July.

Not long afterwards, he encountered Thomas Mashifane, the foreman from Liliesleaf Farm in Rivonia where MK had set up their headquarters. However, in April 1994, South Africa had its first full and fair elections.

Nelson was a good student and qualified with a law degree in 1942.

During his time at University, Nelson Mandela became increasingly aware of the racial inequality and injustice faced by non-white people. Last updated 13th February 2018.

Nelson Mandela – In His Own Words

 

Nelson Mandela – In His Own Words at Amazon

Mandela – The Authorised Portrait

 

Mandela – The Authorised Portrait at Amazon

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On June 12, 1964, Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment during the Rivonia Trial, a critical moment that would change the course of South African history. Again in the 1980s, Mandela and others rejected an offer of release on condition that he renounce violence.

Nevertheless, Mandela did initiate talks with the apartheid regime in 1985, when he wrote to then Minister of Justice, Kobie Coetsee.

However, long before that date, it had become clear, even before the start of the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (Codesa) negotiations at the World Trade Centre in Kempton Park, that the ANC was increasingly charting the future of South Africa.

Rolihlahla Nelson Dalibunga Mandela was inaugurated as President of a democratic South Africa on 10 May 1994.

·     Later on Nelson Strongly believed in his thoughts that International Pressure and National Demonstrations somehow Assisted in putting the Judge to

consider Life Imprisonment and not the Death Penalty.

·     Also that Locally & Internationally the Judge would have been regarded as the Person that killed the Freedom Fighters & his Name, Surname & Legacy

would have been tinted & compromised forever.

·     The Judge would have not been able to can recover from the Negative Perception no matter where he went.

·     Nelson’s Mother Nosekeni Fanny died, at the age of 74, due to a stomach illness according to her Death Certificate, but people around her believed

that she died because of a Heart attack.

·     On Monday 12thMay 1969, police went to Winnie’s house in Orlando & arrested her without a charge.

·     Winnie was arrested in front of her 2 children, who were about 9 & 10 years Old respectively.

·     She was Charged after being about 6 Months in prison,She was Charged for attempting to revive the ANC & the State withdrew its case after about 1 year and 5 Months. 

·     On Sunday 13th July in 1969, Nelson Mandela’s 1st born Son Madiba Thembekile (Thembi) Mandela fatally passed away during a Car Accident in the Western Cape.

·     Thembi was 24 years Old, when he passed away & Nelson was also denied to attend his Son’s Funeral.

·     When Thembi passed away, he had 2 Children, who were still very young in age at that time.

·     In 1974, Winnie was arrested for 6 Month’s & sent to the Kroonstad Prison for breaking her banning orders, she was visited by a friend when the banning

only allowed her to be visited by her 2 Daughters only.

·     In July of 1975, as Nelson was turning 57 years old, Walter and Kathrada asked Nelson to write his Biography in secrete, as he was a banned person & it was

against Law for anyone to read or to write a story or a book about him or to even share or to have a Photo of Nelson or of any other banned person was illegal.

·     The Plan was for Nelson to write his Biography & then when Mac Maharaj was to be releasedin 1976, will smuggle the Biography out of Prison

with him & it was planned that it could be published internationally.

However, he always refused to put the political ideals of the ANC above his own freedom.

Freedom and a new Rainbow Nation

Mandela voting in 1994 election. We did not want an interracial war, and tried to avoid it to the last minute.”

– Nelson Mandela, Supreme court of South Africa, Pretoria, April 20, 1964

Closing remark at the 1964 trial

“During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people.

He also played a significant role in popularising the Freedom Charter, adopted by the Congress of the People in 1955.

During the whole of the 1950s, Mandela was the victim of various forms of repression. He ended with these words: "I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. In prison the conditions were sparse; however, Mandela was with many other political prisoners, and there was a strong bond of friendship which helped to make more bearable the difficult prison conditions.

The black prisoners were flown secretly to Robben Island immediately after the trial was over to begin serving their sentences.

In March 1982, after 18 years, he was transferred to Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town (with Sisulu, Raymond Mhlaba and Andrew Mlangeni) and in December 1988, he was moved to the Victor Verster Prison near Paarl, from where he was eventually released.

His journey of liberation inspired millions and ignited a worldwide movement for justice, affirming that one person's struggle can truly affect a nation. Freedom is their reward.