What type of man was nelson mandela

Mandela was driven by an unshakeable belief in the equality of all people and his determination to overthrow the system of apartheid in South Africa. He helped to organise and to lead many peaceful campaigns, but after violent disruptions by the state and its outlawing of the opposition organisations, it became clear to him and his comrades that peaceful protest was impossible.

In they decided to turn to an armed struggle and established Umkhonto weSizwe Spear of the Nation — also known as MK — as an army for freedom fighters. He also helped in to establish Umkhonto weSizwe, the armed wing of the African National Congress and was its first Commander-in-Chief. In after he stepped down as President he started the Nelson Mandela Foundation as a post-presidential office and charity to assist in various causes.

In he founded the Mandela Rhodes Foundation to assist postgraduate students from throughout Africa to further their studies. The liberation movements freed all the people of South Africa. Mandela stepped down in after one term as President. Mandela died at the age of 95 at his home in Johannesburg on 5 December By The Nelson Mandela Foundation. Mbuso Mandela Original Source: To download a photograph click here. On 12 June In his message, Mr Ramaphosa praised De Klerk for the "vital role" he played in South Africa's transition to democracy, despite "severe pressure to the contrary from many in his political constituency".

South Africa's main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, said De Klerk's contribution to the country's transition to democracy could not be overstated. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said De Klerk would be remembered for his "steely courage and realism in doing what was manifestly right". Some see him as a decent man, a rare politician who took the unusual step of negotiating a path - for himself and for his party - out of power, and in doing so, helped to steer the country away from the racial civil war that many feared would engulf South Africa in the late s and early s.

But others, including Nelson Mandela, were more guarded, seeing de Klerk as a political opportunist, a conservative Afrikaaner, who realised that with the Cold War over and international sanctions biting, he had no alternative but to negotiate with the black majority. In recent years, a younger generation of South Africans - some encouraged by populist politicians - have sought to question the compromises that accompanied South Africa's transition to democracy, and have argued that De Klerk and other apartheid leaders should be held responsible for the death squads that targeted members of the liberation movement.

The legacy of South Africa's last white president. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Eventually, prisoners were allowed to have a desk in their cells, and to read and study. They even planted a small garden. Prisoners also achieved the right to play soccer, tennis and volleyball. Summer games were held at the prison, and prisoners took pride in organizing the events and creating intricate programs with limited materials.

Music became another way for prisoners to express their shared humanity. They created a record club and organized concerts for events and holidays. We regarded the struggle in prison as a microcosm of the struggle as a whole. We would fight inside as we had fought outside.

The racism and repression were the same; I would simply have to fight on different terms. In , under increasing pressure, the government made an offer to release Mandela, on condition he renounce violence as a political tool.

Mandela rejected the offer. His youngest daughter, Zindzi Mandela, read his response at a mass rally in Soweto:. Mandela rejected this offer with powerful words.

What freedom am I being offered when I may be arrested on a pass offence? What freedom am I being offered to live my life as a family with my dear wife who remains in banishment in Brandfort? What freedom am I being offered when I must ask for permission to live in an urban area? What freedom am I being offered when I need a stamp in my pass to seek work? What freedom am I being offered when my very South African citizenship is not respected?

I will return. Mandela was committed to achieving freedom for all South Africans, not just for himself. In , he began to quietly reach out to the South African government to see if there was interest in negotiating an end to apartheid. Four years later, on February 11, , the most famous political prisoner in the world was released. He was 71 years old, but there was still work to do. Throughout this period, political violence and civil war threatened to engulf the country.

In , South Africa adopted an interim constitution. Mandela would dedicate the remaining years of his life to transforming his country. He always acknowledged that there was still more to do — and that it was up to future generations to continue the struggle for freedom. South Africans lining up to vote, People waited for hours in lengthy lines for the opportunity to cast their ballot. Mandela was arrested in a countrywide police swoop on 5 December , which led to the Treason Trial. Men and women of all races found themselves in the dock in the marathon trial that only ended when the last 28 accused, including Mandela, were acquitted on 29 March On 21 March police killed 69 unarmed people in a protest in Sharpeville against the pass laws.

Mandela and his colleagues in the Treason Trial were among thousands detained during the state of emergency. During the trial Mandela married a social worker, Winnie Madikizela, on 14 June They had two daughters, Zenani and Zindziswa. The couple divorced in Days before the end of the Treason Trial, Mandela travelled to Pietermaritzburg to speak at the All-in Africa Conference, which resolved that he should write to Prime Minister Verwoerd requesting a national convention on a non-racial constitution, and to warn that should he not agree there would be a national strike against South Africa becoming a republic.

After he and his colleagues were acquitted in the Treason Trial, Mandela went underground and began planning a national strike for 29, 30 and 31 March. In the face of massive mobilisation of state security the strike was called off early.

In June he was asked to lead the armed struggle and helped to establish Umkhonto weSizwe Spear of the Nation , which launched on 16 December with a series of explosions. He travelled around Africa and visited England to gain support for the armed struggle. He was charged with leaving the country without a permit and inciting workers to strike. He was convicted and sentenced to five years' imprisonment, which he began serving at the Pretoria Local Prison. Within a month police raided Liliesleaf, a secret hideout in Rivonia, Johannesburg, used by ANC and Communist Party activists, and several of his comrades were arrested.

On 9 October Mandela joined 10 others on trial for sabotage in what became known as the Rivonia Trial.