Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela and the abolishment of apartheid. Apartheid was a law that destroyed the souls of people tore families apart and ruined the lives of the people living in South Africa. It was the policy of racial separation legalised by the national government of South Africa. Nelson Mandela the first ever black president of South Africa abolished apartheid after a 27 year imprisonment after his first attempt to advocate armed resistance to apartheid.

Nelson Mandela a coloured man born on July 18 1918 in Mvezo South Africa an anti-apartheid revolutionary and politician who served as president of south Africa from 1994 to 1999. As the youngest on of respected African chief Rolihlahla (nelson) was offered the opportunity to go to school, there he was named “Nelson” by one of his teachers. Mandela later on studied at both the university of Fort Hare and the university of Witwatersrand and qualified in law. In 1943 Nelson Mandela joined the African National congress (ANC). The ANC appealed to the South African government for African rights and political changes. Later I 1948 the government implemented apartheid, apartheid the legal system causing separation of people based on racial classification, with subsequent oppression for the coloured. The government then used armed forces to force the law of apartheid. The government then also introduced laws to outlaw any opposition. The ANC’s response to this began a policy of passive resistance encouraging strikes, boycotts, non violent civil disobedience and non co-operation with the everyday apartheid rules and regulations. During mandela’s years in the ANC he was banned, arrested and detained numerous times.

ANC was declared an illegal organisation in 1960. As a last resort, after the failure of peaceful resistance to challenge governnment oppression, Mandela founded Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), Spear of the Nation. This was a new underground segment of the ANC, which was preparing an armed struggle to use limited sabotage against the government with the aim of achieving policy change, Mandela then was arrested and with his vast knowledge of the law his final words in the court were "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.” After this on the 12th of June 1964 Nelson Mandela and 8 others were sentenced to life imprisonment. Nelson was in prison for 27 years, while in prison he was looked upon as an idol to his inmates and as an important part of the ANC he became a icon to the outside world, he was many times offered conditional release from prison, however he was adamant that “only free men can negotiate”. The ban on the ANC was then released on the 11th of February 1990, he was then awarded a Nobel prize in recognition of his efforts to bring a peaceful transition into South Africa. He then donated the prize money to charities he thought were most deserving.

South Africa's first democratic elections took place in April 1994 and Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as President of South Africa on May 10th 1994, becoming the first ever black president of South Africa. Continuing his charitable commitment to the needs of children he created his own charity ‘ the Nelson Mandela children’s fund’ which he then committed a third of his salary to. He was extremely determined on making south Africa a better place to live for all races. So then he established 2 more charities so continue the incredible work he had started, he had three charities in total, The Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, The Mandela Rhodes Foundation and The Nelson Mandela Foundation.

Nelson mandela was an honorable man who devoted his life to helping the lives of the African people, his forgiveness towards his opposition is inspiring and his determination to lead Africa into a new era of peace and reconciliation. Mandela is now retired, spending his last days with his friends and family before he goes, and still supporting his charitable organisations as they work to fulfil his vision for South Africa.
Nelson mandela’s life was significant and he will always be remembered for all his great achievements and the time he devoted to helping others.