Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela: Life and Accomplishments

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
“I was born not with the will to be a free man. I was born as a free man,”

About Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is one of the earth’s most famous black men. He was born on the 18th of July 1918 in the village of Mvezo in Umtatu, a part of South Africa's Eastern Cape. He is a member of the Thembu royal family which ruled the Transkei region. Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa, his father, was a local chief and councillor to the king; he had been selected for the position in 1915, after the man before him was accused of corruption by a governing white magistrate. Gadla was a polygamist, he had four wives, four sons and nine daughters, and they all lived in different villages. His mother was his father’s third wife, Nosekeni Fanny, who was daughter of Nkedama of the Right Hand House and a member of the amaMpemvu clan of Xhosa. Over the years he had a total of three wives: Evelyn Ntoko Mase, Winnie Madikizela , Graça Machel; the latter being his current wife. With those three women he had altogether a total of six children three of that six are still alive. He resides at his house in Houghton Estate, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. In 1995 he published his autobiography “Long Walk to Freedom” it is also said that a film adaption to the book is to be released November 2013 with the title “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.” What sets Nelson Mandela apart from other people is the fact that he spent 27 years in prison because he fought for equal rights for blacks in South Africa. This would have dampened the spirit of most people, but Mandela is extraordinary. When he was freed from prison and the racial tension fell great lot, he became South Africa's first black president and led them peacefully into a democratic, free market system that lives on to this day. If it wasn’t for Nelson, the blacks in South Africa would probably be treated horribly; they would live like they were worth nothing.
Did you know there is a stadium in Port Elizabeth, South Africa dedicated to Nelson Mandela? It seats about 48,459 people !!

Lifetime Accomplishments

Nelson Mandela is quite a courageous, heroic and highly respected black South African. I say this because of the many accomplishments he has acquired during his lifetime. The world would be full of racial prejudice if it wasn’t for Mandela. But as expected, in many countries, racism is still extremely prominent. Here are some of the things he accomplished:
He and Oliver Tambo started the first black law firm in Johannesburg.

He became leaser of Umkonto we Siziwe.

He survived 27 years in jail.

He was elected 1st black President of South Africa.

He was a member of the African National Congress (ANC).

He was president of the ANC.

In 1994 he was sworn in as the first black President of South Africa.

July 18th 2009 was declared Mandela Day.

Did you know that after he was released from prison, Nelson held his hand into the air and yelled, “Amandla!” (“Power”), and the crowd replied, “Ngawethu” (“The power is ours!”)?

Major Events of Life

While he has accomplished many things, there were a number of “big” events that happened in his life. Some of them may have built up his wall of confidence, but some may have torn them down. But nelson was a very strong man, and it didn’t take long before those walls were back up. For instance the death of his father in 1927, and the day he met his his life-long friend Oliver Tambo. Also in 1939 when he ran away to Johannesburg get away from an arranged marriage; and the day he married his first wife Evelyn Mase. Also the day one of the four children he had with Mase died. Another major event is the day his first marriage ended, and a year later when he married Winnie and had two children. On August 5 1962, he was arrested and imprisoned in the Johannesburg Fort. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment but he went on the run. Only in 1964 was he recaptured, charged with treason, and sentenced to life in prison. Mandela’s eldest son dies in a car crash in 1968, and in that same year, his mother dies. In 1992 his second wife “Winnie”, was found guilty of kidnapping and she and Nelson split. In 1992 she and Nelson divorced. On July 18 1998 (his 80th birthday) he weds his third and current wife, Graca Machel. Nelson was treated for prostate cancer in 2001 and in 2005 his son, Makgatho died of AIDS.

Did you know that “Rohihlahla” means “Troublemaker” in English?