Who is Nelson Mandela Part 1
We were recently shocked when doing a tour for a very sophisticated tourist (a doctor !)who towards the end of the week popped the Question "So who exactly was Nelson Mandela and what did he do". We could not believe what we had heard as it was just after doing a Freedom Tour. It showed us that there are still people out there who live in cocoons and do not even know general current history.
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on the 18 July 1918 in what is today known as the Eastern Cape(Transkei). His father was a chief of the Tembu Tribe part of the Xhosa people. Madiba is Nelson's Mandela's clan name and when he is affectionately called this it is really a sign of great respect.
Nelson was educated at the universities of Fort Hare and Witwatersrand eventually qualifying as a lawyer in 1942. It was then in 1944 that he joined the African National Congress (ANC) and was active in the resistance movement against the ruling National Party (Introducer's of Apartheid to South Africa), who came into power in 1948.
Between 1956 and 1961 he was accused and put on trial for treason but was finally acquitted. It was then during this time (1960) that the ANC was banned and Nelson called for a military wing to be established which was called Umkhonto we Sizwe. Shortly after this Nelson Mandela was arrested and sentenced to five years in prison for leading workers to illegal striking and also for leaving the country illegally. In 1963 several other ANC leaders were arrested and Nelson was once again brought to trial with the others on charges of Planning to overthrow the government of the day through violent means. Finally on the 12 June 1968 Nelson Mandela was one of the eight accused and sentenced to life in prison on Robben Island 11 Km offshore from the city centre. He was then moved from Robben Island to Pollsmoor Prison and finally to Victor Vester Correctional Services (now known as Draakenstein Prison) from where he was famously released in 1990.
Nelson Mandela was a driving force behind changing South Africa from an Apartheid police state to a truly Democratic Government. Many believed that the change could never happen peacefully but it was through Madiba's ideas and forgiveness that made the New Democratic South Africa Possible.