nelson mandela

no easy road to freedom:

Nelson Mandela's story is truly one of rags to riches. he grew up in a native and long established tribe of Xhosa in South Africa. his people and his father treasured the value of education. education playing the role to gain millions of South African's suffrage and establishing the end of apartheid. in exchange, Mandela spent thirty years in prison. Mandela's vision did not go without world recognition, but the greatest gift was winning the love of the his people.

"Mr. Mandela how did you find yourself living with chief Jongintaba?"

"my father was part of what you would call the counsel of elders for the tribes of the Xhosa people, in that time our people were under both the chief and the british government. after being accused of stealing an ox, the British magistrate demanded he be present to sort the event. my father believing he did not need to explain himself to any person outside the Xhora people, did not appear. as a consequence he was released of his duties. when i was nine, he dead of a lung disease, but because Chief Jongintaba owned his rule to my father, he would repay him by becoming my guardian."

Nelson born July 18, 1918 believed education was the key to his success. It was in his first school at mqhekezweni, that his teacher changed his name from Rolihlahla to his christian name of Nelson. Nelson describes his early life, with simplistic views. he roamed in the fields and slept on a pad on the floor of a hut. seeing his father for a week, once a month; as he traveled from wife to wife.

"mr. Mandela what kind education did you follow and what was your drive?"

"after graduating from the local mission school, i was sent to study at Clarkebury Boarding Institute for my junior certification. Because i oversaw many of the counsel meeting with Jonginta, i knew the long history of suffering our people faced under British autonomy. after i attended Clarkebury, i enrolled in the University College of Fort Hare, where i was suspended for joining a protest along with Oliver Tombo. i later graduated from LLB. "

After his suspention and growing tensions with Jongintaba and his eldest son, the two boys moved to Johannesburg to escape an arranged marriage.

"what is the ANC, and how greatly did it impact your life?"

" the African National Congress, a political party focused on the equality of Africans in South Africa. in 1944, i along with oliver tambo and sixty others helped formed the African Nation Youth Congress and encouraged people to protest peacefully through strikes and boycotts. trying to help encourage people to join our cause and to reform the ANC for my useful activities. i was later arrested for a period of six months for my activities with this group. while i served my six months, i passed my bar exam and in 1952 i along with Tambo opened the first black law firm."

the ANC began fighting apartheid since 1912, it rallied support throughout the 1950's challenging the government. it was through the ANC that Mandela was able to establish himself as a leader and public figure.

who was Evelyn Mase?

"Evelyn Mase was my first wife and mother to my four children: Thembikile (1946), Makaziwe (1947), who died at nine months, Makgatho (1951) and Makaziwe (1954). the marriage did not last long and in 1953 we were divorced."

" did Gandhi influence your tactics of defiance?"

"i came to admire the idea's of a peaceful protest. we push back against the government in a peaceful way, giving them no excuse to maltreat us. i admire Gandhi's attempts at a persistence in peaceful protest "

"why were you once banned from the United States?"

"in 1961, i became the armed leader of the ANC and trained for guerrilla warfare as a last resort to end apartheid. in the 1980's war broke out and because at the time our actions were classified under terrorism, members of the ANC and myself, were banned from entering the Unites States. it was in 1960 that the ANC was forced to go underground, in South Africa."

"do you believe that the Rivonia trial was fair trial?"

"after i had left the country to learn military tactics i was arrested upon my return. in 1962 i was sentenced to five years for leaving the country illegally, serving as my own lawyer. while in prison i was charged in the Rivonia Trial. these charges where on the grounds of sabotage, treason, and foreign invasion. they did not understand that my violent means of protest where in response to their neglect of the African's needs. i was sentences to a life prison in 1964. '“I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. 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.'"

under this charge, Mandela spent about twenty seven years in prison for the Rivonia trial. there he continue to inspire his inmates, participating in political debates.

"how would you describe your imprisonment?"

"my time in Prison shaped my person. i met people that changed my views on government. i was unable to attend one of my son or mother's funerals. my wife was arrested and harassed consistently. our work done at the ANC was dissolved and all but a few groups remained active. in prison i was constantly asked to make deals for my freedom, in exchange for pledges of loyalty. it was in prison that i wrote my first book MINISTER OF JUSTICE KOBIE COETSEE. I wanted to revive the movement we had dedicated our lives to."

it would become clear in the early 1990's that apartheid was not going to withstand. as the ANC rose to power the goverenment knew it could not keep its black citizens from voting. on April 27, 1994 the reign of apartheid had ended. and with the nomination for president, Nelson Mandela became the first Black President of South Africa. Receiving the Noble Peace Prize in 1993 for the triumphs of human spirit.

nelson Mandela at his inauguration said: "We understand it still that there is no easy road to freedom. We know it well that none of us acting alone can achieve success. We must therefore act together as a united people, for national reconciliation, for nation building, for the birth of a new world. Let there be justice for all. Let there be peace for all. Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all. Let each know that for each the body, the mind and the soul have been freed to fulfil themselves. Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another and suffer the indignity of being the skunk of the world. Let freedom reign.”

it wasn't until 1999 after five years as president that Mandela stepped down. this ended his rule of president but did not end his efforts to help those in need he established three foundation: The Nelson Mandela Foundation, The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and The Mandela-Rhodes Foundation. on his eightieth birthday he married Graça Machel. his efforts for a better future for his people did not come easy, it came at the expense of many things, but he proved that with a passionate heart anything can be accomplished.





http://www.anc.org.za/people/mandela.html
http://www.nelsonmandela.org/index.php/memory/views/biography/