What Nelson Mandela, politician and president of South Africa, did, you will learn from this article.
Nelson Mandela short biography
Where was Nelson Mandela born?
Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918 in the village of Mfezo, South Africa in the family of a member of the Privy Council of the Tembu tribe. He had 3 brothers and 9 sisters. He was named Holilala at birth, but when he went to school, his English teacher gave him a new English name. This is how Nelson Mandela appeared.
When he was 7 years old, the family moved to the village of Tsgunu. And 2 years later, Nelson’s father died. While studying at school and college, Mandela became addicted to running and boxing, which he continued to do for the rest of his life. At the age of 21, he was enrolled at the University of Fort Hare, but the future president studied there for only a year.
Mandela moved to Johannesburg in 1941 and first got a job as a watchman at a mine, and later as a junior clerk in a law office. Nelson, while working in absentia, is graduating from the University of South Africa with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then entered the Faculty of Law at the University of the Witwatersrand, where he met his future ministers, Harry Schwartz and Joe Slovo. Even as a student, he took an active part in meetings of intellectuals of the African National Congress and various rallies. In 1948, Mandela took over as chief secretary of the Afrikaner National Party and later became president of the Youth League of the African National Congress. The activist organizes a campaign of disobedience to authority and in 1955 convened the Congress of a Free People. This is how his political career began.
What is Nelson Mandela famous for?
He has a long way to go before becoming president of South Africa. He was the first to set up a law firm providing free services for blacks and compiled a list of principles for South African society. The Freedom Charter he wrote would become the main document in the nonviolent struggle against the apartheid regime.
Realizing that nothing could be achieved peacefully, Nelson created a radical organization called Umkhonto we Sizwe. Members of the group carried out bombings of military and government targets. For organizing strikes, Nelson Mandela was sentenced to 5 years in prison in the fall of 1962. Soon new charges were brought against him, and the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. The statesman was in prison for 27 years. But it was during this time that he became a world celebrity - the slogans “Free Nelson Mandela” were published in the foreign press. The black wrestler even managed to graduate in absentia from the University of London, receiving a bachelor's degree in law.
Since the mid-1980s, the government decided to compromise with Nelson Mandela: he was offered freedom if he abandoned the fight against apartheid. But the activist did not agree. It was only with the coming to power of Frederik Willem de Klerk in 1989 that the ban on the African National Congress was lifted and Mandela was released.
After leaving prison, he began to fight against the government. Thanks to his efforts, the first democratic elections in South Africa's history were held in 1994. And Nelson Mandela, having received more votes, became the first black president of South Africa.
During his presidential term, he achieved a lot - free education for children under 14 years of age, free medical care for pregnant women and children, increased subsidies for rural residents, introduced laws on land, on equality in employment, on the level of qualifications of workers. Mandela's government carried out large-scale work on electrification, telephone installation, and the construction of clinics, residential buildings and hospitals.
In 1999, Nelson Mandela retired and began fighting the spread of AIDS. He sought open coverage of this problem in South Africa, which is still the leader in the number of deaths from this disease.
Nelson Mandela's life was filled not only with government activities. He wrote a number of publications and autobiographies - “I’m Ready to Die”, “The Long Road to Freedom”, “Talking to Myself”, “The Struggle is My Life”.
In the summer of 2013, the activist was hospitalized because an old prison pulmonary disease worsened. Here he stayed until September. His condition was stable and critical. In November, Mandela's health deteriorated significantly and the former president was put on a ventilator. Despite the efforts of the doctors, the inevitable happened: the day Nelson Mandela died was December 5, 2013. He was 95 years old.
Personal life of Nelson Mandela
The President of South Africa has been married three times. He first married Evelyn Makaziwa in 1944. The marriage produced 4 children - daughters Makaziwa Mandela, Pumla Makaziwa and sons Magkaho Lewanika and Madiba Thembekile. They separated in 1958. His second wife was Winnie Dlamini, with whom he married in 1958. She bore him 2 more daughters, Zindzi and Zenani. Graça Machel became her last life partner. They got married in 1998.
From Clint Eastwood to Barack Obama, from Pope Francis to Mikhail Gorbachev, everyone admired him. And today, on Nelson Mandela’s birthday, the site has collected several quotes and facts from the biography of this amazing man, politician, freedom fighter.
1. The man who changed the world grew up in a small African village and was the only member of his family to receive an education. His father passed away when Nelson was only 9 years old. He was later adopted by the regent Jongintaba.
“Education is the most powerful weapon with which you can change the world.”
Fort Beaufort Methodology College class. One of the earliest known photographs of Nelson Mandela, 1937 - 1938
2. Nelson Mandela's policies improved and saved millions of lives. During his presidency, 3 million people gained access to telephone lines, power lines and drinking water, and 1.5 million children received education. 500 clinics and 750 thousand houses were built, providing a roof over the heads of 3 million citizens.
“One of the highest achievements for a man is to do his duty, regardless of the consequences.”
3. In 1944, Nelson Mandela led the African National Congress (ANC) in his fight for African freedom and racial equality. But in 1962, on charges of treason, he was sentenced to life imprisonment and placed in a Johannesburg prison, where the future president of South Africa spent 27 years of his life.
Nelson Mandela: “I am grateful for the 27 years I spent in prison because it gave me something to focus on. Since I was released, I have lost this opportunity.”
“Never falling is not the greatest achievement in life. The main thing is to get up every time.”
Nelson Mandela, 1960
4. During his imprisonment, Nelson Mandela managed to graduate from the University of London in absentia with a Bachelor of Laws degree. Later, his candidacy was nominated for the position of honorary rector. In February 1985, South African President Peter Botha offered Mandela his release in exchange for "an unconditional renunciation of violence as a political weapon." The revolutionary responded to the proposal with an ultimatum refusal, saying that only free people have the right to negotiate, and not prisoners.
“It’s not so hard to change society, it’s hard to change yourself.”
Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison, 18 of them in solitary confinement.
“No one is born hating another person because of their skin color, background or religion. People learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, we should try to teach them love, because love is much closer to the human heart.".
Nelson Mandela voting in the 1994 elections
6. Mandela was a true master of disguise. The black freedom fighter was wanted for 17 months. During this time, he managed to pretend to be a worker, a cook, and when he was arrested, he was in the role of a driver.
“Difficulties and adversities destroy some people, but create others”.
Mandela's prison number "46664" - a symbolic number for the fight against HIV
7. Nelson Mandela starred in Spike Lee's 1992 film Malcolm X. He played the elderly Malcolm, but flatly refused to utter the main phrase of the African-American fighter for the rights of blacks, and the director had to cut off the key monologue in the film.
“A bright head and a bright heart always make a formidable combination. And when you add a sharp tongue or a pencil to it, you get something explosive.”.
8. After Nelson Mandela's 54-year-old son Makgaho died of AIDS, the political leader called on the African public to treat the disease as an “ordinary” disease and stop persecuting people living with HIV.
“We must use time wisely and remember: a just cause can begin at any moment.”.
Nelson Mandela: "Freedom cannot be partial"
9. African Madiba silk shirts became popular all over the world thanks to Nelson Mandela. The shirts were named after the politician's clan and were created by designer Dezre Buirski.
“If you have a dream, nothing will stop you from making it come true as long as you don’t give up.”.
Children sing songs of congratulations to Nelson Mandela, July 18, 2013
Nelson Mandela was born in the village of Mfezo, located on the left bank of the Mbashe River, in South Africa. His father, Gadla Henry Mandela, headed the village administration at the time of his son's birth and was a member of the Privy Council of the Tembu tribe. His mother Nongapi Nosekeni was the third most important wife of Gadla, who had 4 wives at the same time. In addition to Nelson, the father had 3 more sons and 9 daughters.
Interestingly, at birth the boy was named Kholilala, which can be translated as “Prankster.” But when he was the first of Mandela Sr.’s children to go to school, the English teacher, according to established tradition, gave all the students English names. It was at school that the name Nelson Mandela appeared. A few years later, the family moved to another village - Tsgunu. This was due to the removal of his father as head of Mpheso by the new colonial authorities.
Gadla Mandela took this news hard, suffered from poor health and died when Nelson was only 9 years old. After junior school, Nelson Mandela graduated from Clarkbury High Boarding School as an external student, then studied at Methodist College in Fort Beaufort. In this educational institution, Nelson fell in love with sports, especially running and boxing, which he preferred until the end of his life.
At the age of 21, he was enrolled as a student at the University of Fort Hare, although a black resident with a higher education diploma was a rarity at that time. But Mandela only studied there for a year. He left the university because of his participation in the boycott of students who disagreed with the course and results of the elections to the student representative council.
In 1941, Mandela, a dropout, moved to the largest city in South Africa - Johannesburg, where he found work as a watchman at a mine, and a little later - as a junior clerk in one of the law offices. While working as a lawyer, Nelson Mandela graduated in absentia from the University of South Africa and received a Bachelor of Arts degree. Immediately after this, he entered the University of Witwatersrand to study law, where he met Joe Slovo and Harry Schwartz, future ministers of his government.
The beginning of the political struggle
As a university student, Nelson Mandela became very interested in politics. He is significantly influenced by radical Africanist ideas. He regularly participates in meetings of black intellectuals of the African National Congress and appears at rallies and protests, supporting the side of the local population. In 1948, the Afrikaner National Party came to power in South Africa and the main strategy for the development of the state was the policy of apartheid.
Nelson Mandela becomes chief secretary and later president of the African National Congress Youth League. He organizes the Campaign of Defiance against Authority, and in 1955 he convenes the Congress of a Free People. His help to people did not consist only of political disagreement. Mandela creates the first law office that provides free services to blacks, draws up a list of principles for the future democratic society of the Republic of South Africa, the Freedom Charter, which will be the main document for the nonviolent struggle against the apartheid regime.
But in the early 60s, Nelson Mandela, having achieved nothing peacefully, created the radical organization “Umkhonto we Sizwe”, which allows for the possibility of armed struggle. Together with team members, they carry out explosions of government and military facilities. Later, their struggle turns into a partisan one. But in the fall of 1962, Mandela was put on trial and sentenced to 5 years in prison for organizing strikes and illegally crossing the border. Later, due to additional charges, this sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.
Prison and presidency
Nelson Mandela was in prison for 27 years. As a political prisoner, he had the worst conditions and the fewest privileges. For example, he was allowed to write only one letter or make only one call every six months. Nevertheless, thanks to the support of his friends who remained free, it was during this period that he managed to become a world celebrity.
The press of most countries published slogans similar to the famous “Free Nelson Mandela.” In addition, the black fighter for justice, while in captivity, managed to graduate from the University of London in absentia and receive a bachelor's degree in law. In 1981, while still in prison, he even ran for the position of honorary rector of the university, but lost the election.
Since the mid-80s, the government has been trying to find a compromise in relations with Mandela. He is offered freedom in exchange for refusing to fight against apartheid. Nelson refuses this offer. Only in 1989, when Frederik Willem de Klerk took over as president of the country, did the authorities lift the ban on the African National Congress. A year later, Nelson Mandela and his supporters were acquitted in court and released.
Despite the release, the relationship between Mandela and de Klerk was very tense. Receiving a joint Nobel Prize did not bring them closer either. The fact is that Nelson Mandela, immediately after leaving prison, began an intensified struggle against the government, which was accompanied by terrorist attacks and clashes. True, Mandela blamed the authorities for most of these explosions and clashes. However, his efforts led to the fact that in 1994 the first democratic elections in the history of South Africa were held and the African National Congress, with 62% of the votes, Mandela became the first black president of South Africa.
During the 5 years of his rule, the new president achieved free medical care for children and pregnant women, free compulsory education for children under 14 years of age, introduced equality in the payment of benefits, increased subsidies for the maintenance of rural residents, introduced laws on land, on labor relations, on the level of employee qualifications, employment equality and many others. Under Mandela's government, large-scale work was carried out in the country on the installation of telephones, electrification, and the construction of hospitals, clinics and residential buildings.
After his retirement in 1999, Nelson Mandela became an active fighter against the spread of AIDS, achieving more open coverage of the problems of this disease in the Republic of South Africa, which is still the sad leader in the number of deaths from the plague of the 20th century.
Personal life
Nelson Mandela was married three times. At the insistence of his guardian, he entered into his first marriage in 1944 with Evelyn Makaziwa. In this marriage they had sons Madiba Thembekile and Magkaho Lewanika, as well as daughters Pumla Makaziwa and Makaziwa Mandela, who died at the age of 9 months. This marriage broke up in 1958.
Immediately after the divorce, Nelson married Winnie Dlamini, who bore him two daughters, Zenani and Zindzi. They officially divorced only in 1994, but actually separated while Mandela was in prison. Nelson Mandela's last marriage took place in 1998, when he married Graça Machel, a fairly well-known politician. Graca was with him until the last days of his life. The children gave Nelson 17 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Nelson Mandela is known for a number of publications that were popular with everyone interested in politics and social activities. The most famous are the autobiography “Long Road to Freedom” and the speech “I'm Ready to Die,” which was delivered in the courtroom on April 20, 1964. Also known are the collection of archival records and letters from prison “Conversations with Myself” and the book-revelation “Struggle is my life.”
Death
In the early summer of 2013, Nelson was hospitalized due to the recurrence of an old pulmonary disease, where he remained until mid-September. For a long time his condition was assessed as stable critical. But in November, his health deteriorated even more, and Mandela was put on a ventilator. However, despite all the efforts of doctors, the former president died on December 5, 2013 at the age of 95.
For 3 days, traffic in the capital Pretoria was stopped, as a crowd of thousands of citizens came to bid farewell to the anti-apartheid fighter, lining up in a queue of many kilometers. Nelson Mandela's official funeral was held on December 15, 2013 in the village of Tsgunu, where the leader of the South African people grew up.
Today marks International Nelson Mandela Day. On December 27, 2012, Nelson Mandela was discharged from a Johannesburg hospital, where he spent about three weeks. Mandela was hospitalized in early December for medical examinations. During hospitalization, Nelson Mandela was diagnosed with a recurrence of a pulmonary infection, and gallstones were also surgically removed, Agence France-Presse reported at the time.
The great Mandela has passed away
Recently, the name of Nelson Mandela has been mentioned most often in a medical context, which is not surprising - the legendary black fighter against apartheid in South Africa is already 94 years old. And life was not always kind to him. The hardships of the political struggle for human ideals strengthened Mandela; his path was very thorny.
Birth of a leader
Nelson Mandela is known throughout the world as the first black president of the Republic of South Africa, an uncompromising fighter for black rights and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
He was born in July 1918 in one of the provinces of South Africa, into a noble Xhosa family by local standards. At birth, the boy received the name Kholilala, which in the local language meant “one who plucks tree branches.” His father had a very large family - 4 wives who gave birth to 13 children; Nelson Mandela was born from his 3rd wife, Nkedama. The name "Nelson" was given to him by a schoolteacher - the influence of Great Britain in South Africa was very great at that time.
Nelson attended Methodist school and Clarkbury Boarding Institute, after which he received his Junior Secondary Education Certificate. In the late 1930s, Nelson Mandela moved to Fort Beaufort, where he attended Methodist College. In 1939, he entered the University of Fort Hare, one of the few higher education institutions in the country where blacks could study.
Nelson Mandela's still timid attempts to embark on the path of political struggle date back to this time. While studying at Fort Hare, he participates in a student boycott that was organized against the leadership of the educational institution. Having later disagreed with the course of elections to the student representative council of the university, he leaves it and then goes to Johannesburg, where he works in a gold mine. Later, using the financial assistance of his guardian, he continues his studies and later gets a job as a clerk in one of the Johannesburg law firms. While working at the company, Mandela received a Bachelor of Arts degree in absentia from one of the South African universities in 1942; in 1943, he began studying law at the University of the Witwatersrand - during his studies there he met some of his future partners in political struggle.
Political activities of Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela's active political activity began in 1944, when he joined the African National Congress and its Youth League. From then on, he became an irreconcilable fighter for the rights of blacks in South Africa, against the apartheid policy pursued by the country's ruling National Party.
During the 1950s and 1960s, Nelson Mandela was repeatedly subjected to political persecution and arrest. In 1960, after the unrest in Sharpeville, when during a demonstration initiated by the Congress, 67 people were killed by the police (according to other sources - 69), the ANC was banned, and Mandela was forced to go underground. The following year, the military wing of the ANC was formed, headed by Nelson Mandela. It engaged in various acts of sabotage against the authorities. The purpose of their activities was to sabotage the actions of the authorities, but a prerequisite was the renunciation of direct violence against people. At the beginning of his political activity, Mandela was guided by the principles of Mahatma Gandhi, which included non-resistance to evil through violence.
In 1962, Nelson Mandela was arrested, and two years later he was sentenced to a long prison sentence. In total, Mandela spent a total of 27 years in prison, the first 18 of which he was imprisoned on Robben Island, near the Cape of Good Hope. While serving his sentence there, he studied by correspondence at the University of London and later received a Bachelor of Laws degree.
In 1982, Mandela was transferred to Pollsmoor Prison. Three years later, in 1985, the then President of South Africa, Peter Botha, offered Mandela freedom in exchange for giving up political activity, which Nelson Mandela refused.
During the entire period of Nelson Mandela's imprisonment, various international organizations did not give up attempts to influence the South African authorities in order to release Mandela. He was released only in 1990, after the country's President Frederik de Klerk signed a decree allowing the legalization of the ANC, as well as other political organizations fighting against the apartheid regime.
After his release, Mandela led the ANC, and in 1993, together with de Klerk, he won the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1994, parliamentary elections were held in South Africa, in which the ANC was supported by 62% of voters. Nelson Mandela became the first black president of South Africa. He held this post until 1999. Throughout the world, Nelson Mandela has earned respect for his persistent, long and uncompromising struggle for the rights of blacks. During Mandela's presidency, significant financial resources were allocated to fight poverty, education, medicine and solving the economic problems of the indigenous people of South Africa.
After 1999, Nelson Mandela took part in various actions aimed at fighting AIDS. In 2009, the UN General Assembly declared February 18 as International Mandela Day, thereby recognizing his invaluable contribution to the struggle for freedom, democracy and human rights.
Undoubtedly, Nelson Mandela's contribution to the democratization of life in South Africa, and throughout the world, cannot be overestimated. But what is life like in South Africa now, more than a decade after Mandela's presidency?
Is South Africa after Mandela far from his ideals?
It is unfortunate to note that Nelson Mandela's ideas are now sometimes turning into their opposite. Thus, at the beginning of 2012, a lawsuit was filed with the International Court in The Hague by representatives of the white population of South Africa, the so-called Boer Afrikaners, against the ruling ANC party in the country, which unleashed “reverse apartheid” there - numerous facts of infringement of the rights of the white population of the country in favor of the black population . Over the past 18 years, about 1 million white-skinned people were forced to leave the country, tens of thousands of people were killed. For reasons of so-called international political correctness, which emphasizes the infringement of the rights of blacks, it is not customary to talk about such facts, but silence only aggravates the problems.
A significant part of the South African population still lives without sewerage and electricity, about 40% live below the poverty line. HIV and AIDS in South Africa affects the majority of the population. The level of crime and corruption is also very high.
Former South African President and anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela celebrates his 95th birthday on Thursday while still in hospital.
Moscow. July 18. website - Former South African President Nelson Mandela turned 95 on Thursday. He has been there for more than six weeks. We recall 10 interesting facts from the life of an outstanding politician.
1. Three names of Mandela
At birth, Mandela was named Holilala, which in Xhosa means "tree plucker" or "prankster" (colloquial).
Kholilala received the English name Nelson at school. According to Mandela's memoirs, at that time this was a tradition among Africans associated with the British bias of education. "That day Miss Mdingane told me that my new name was Nelson. Why that is, I have no idea."
South African Nelson Mandela is also known as Madiba (one of the clan names of the Xhosa people).
2. A quarter of a century in prison
Nelson Mandela, who led the African majority's struggle against the apartheid regime, spent more than a quarter of a century in prison for his human rights work.
Mandela was sentenced to life in prison in 1964 for his role in the coup plot.
He served most of his sentence in prison on Robben Island. He was subsequently held at Pollsmoor maximum security prison.
Mandela spent 17 of his 27 years in prison in solitary confinement, where he had the right to one visit and one letter within six months. According to Mandela's recollections, the letters that arrived often did not pass prison censorship.
During his imprisonment, Mandela studied in absentia at the University of London and received a Bachelor of Laws degree.
In 1985, South African President Peter Botha offered Mandela freedom in exchange for "an unconditional renunciation of violence as a political weapon." Mandela rejected the offer, saying through his daughter: "What other freedom am I being offered when the people's organization remains prohibited? Only free people can enter into negotiations. A prisoner cannot make treaties."
In 1990, the South African government released Mandela.
Cape Town's Victor Verster prison, where Mandela spent the final months of his 27-year sentence, now houses a statue of Mandela.
3. Son's funeral
Nelson Mandela's eldest son, Thembekile, died in a car accident while he was in prison. South African authorities did not allow Mandela to attend his son's funeral.
4. South Africa's first black president
Mandela was elected as South Africa's first democratic president in 1994 and served until 1999. He became the first black president of South Africa.
During his reign, Mandela undertook a number of important socio-economic reforms aimed at overcoming social and economic inequality in South Africa. Key measures included the introduction of free health care for all children under six years of age, the introduction of compulsory education for African children, and the launch of the National Medicines Policy, which made it easier for the population to access life-saving medicines.
In 1999 he left politics.
5. World Nelson Mandela Day
The proposal was submitted to the General Assembly by South African representative Baso Sangku, who called Mandela "an icon and symbol of hope, whose life reflects the ideals of the UN."
This UN decision became the first time in the history of the organization that a “world day” was proclaimed in honor of an individual person, the BBC points out.
6. Nobel laureate
In 1993, Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his "work toward the peaceful end of the apartheid regime and for laying the groundwork for a new democracy in South Africa."
In addition to the Nobel Prize, Mandela is the first winner of the European Parliament Prize named after Academician Andrei Sakharov "For Freedom of Thought", a laureate of the Sydney Peace Prize, Mandela was awarded the Order of the International Olympic Committee. In 1990, the Russian Ambassador to South Africa presented Mandela with the Lenin Peace Prize.
Among other things, Mandela was included in the hundred geniuses of our time according to Creators Synectics.
7. Wedding at 80
At the age of 80, Nelson Mandela married the widow of Mozambican President Samora Machel. Now his wife, Graça Machel, is the only woman in the world to be the first lady of two countries.
8. Congratulatory song
In 2011, on Mandela’s 93rd birthday, 12.4 million schoolchildren simultaneously sang a congratulatory song to the ex-president.
Mandela himself, who became a symbol of the struggle of South Africans against apartheid, spent this day with his family in his native village east of Cape Town.
9. Unbowed Mandela
In 2009, the biographical drama Invictus was filmed based on the life of Nelson Mandela.
10. Premature funeral
This year, the press and politicians have already “buried” Mandela twice.
In early April, the South African television channel Universal Channel (American media conglomerate NBCUniversal) reported the death of the country's former president Nelson Mandela. The channel later apologized: “Like any international channel, Universal Networks has obituaries for every significant government figure in the world.”
On June 6, the death of the iconic politician was announced by the Minister of Culture of Chile, Roberto Ampuero. “Nelson Mandela, one of the wisest and noblest fighters for dignity, equality and human rights, has just passed away. We mourn him,” the minister wrote on his microblog on Twitter. A couple of hours later he asked for forgiveness for the mistake he made. “I am very glad that Nelson Mandela is alive,” he said.
