Nelson Mandela and the Downfall of Apartheid - Essay Example

Name : xxxxxxxxxxx Institution : xxxxxxxxxxx Title : Nelson Mandela and the downfall of apartheid Tutor : xxxxxxxxxxx Course : xxxxxxxxxxx @2010 Nelson Mandela and the downfall of apartheid Introduction Apartheid can be considered as the system which was characterized by a legalized racial segregation which the government of the National Party in South Africa enforced from 1948 to 1994. In this system, the rights of the Non-whites who were also the country’s majority inhabitants, were reduced and ignored while the rights of the whites, who were also the minority, was considered first hand and therefore maintained. The white people who were living in South Africa made for themselves a privileged life, while denying the Afrikaans their basic rights. This was more emphasized by the introduction of pass laws mainly in the cape and natal colonies. Racial discrimination had great impacts on the expression of freedom as much as it had on the state’s sovereignty and as such had elicited an impactful internal resistance as well as violence, in addition to making South Africa be given a long trade restriction. As is evident, the conditions in South Africa were terribly unbearable and led to a great anguish in the country, this culminated in great popular uprisings hence protests and rising of anti-apartheid leaders who were later imprisoned. There were very brave and determined leaders who rose up against apartheid and led to its defeat and that included Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu and Willem de Klerk (Mandela, 1995). Among the three, Nelson Mandela was the most influential in ending apartheid. Nelson Mandela was the founding member of the ANC Youth League in 1943. He became very influential among the ANC members and participated in the plans organised by the leaders against apartheid due to his dislike of the social injustices. Mandela (1995) asserts that “It was when I started knowing that my childhood freedom wasn’t real, when I realized as a youth that the freedom I had was already withdrawn from me, that I started yearning for the freedom.” According to Boehmer (2008), he was later made the ANC party leader. The role he played in the downfall of the apartheid rule is very fundamental especially considering the efforts and sacrifices he invested in enabling South Africa to attain freedom from that oppressive system. Many people have often argued that Frederik Willem de Klerk was responsible for the defeat of apartheid regime, however, even as confirmed by the assumption that Mandela is not only the master of his own fate but also the current South Africa’s chief architect, the actual truth is that Nelson Mandela was the person who led to the downfall of apartheid. Nelson Mandela fought a single handed battle for the black majority rights as illustrated by this work, elaborating on the various methods he used to end the apartheid rule. These included initiating violence against apartheid, soliciting for international support, empowering and uniting the masses, persuasion of the masses, enforcing of justice, organization and preparation of the resistance army. He also used motivational speeches , mobilisation of funds for anti-apartheid campaigns, formation of the Freedom Charter, collaboration with ANC leadership, formation of The Congress of the people, inspiring South Africans, and holding negotiations against apartheid (with leaders of other political parties). Nelson Mandela initiated and organized violent activities to revolt against suppression when the government carried out various attempts to ban ANC and all its political activities. The government did this after considering its impacts on the unrest of the South Africans, after the 1960 Sharpeville massacre. The Sharpeville massacre, also referred to as the Sharpeville shooting, took place on 21st march of 1960 when the south African policemen decided to shoot at the black people who were protesting thereby killing 69 of the protesters. These protests were organised by the African National Congress and were aimed at revolting against the oppressive pass-laws. The protests took place in the Sharpeville town of Gauteng province and were mainly sparked by the laws that were passed by the government of National Party headed by Hendrik Verwoerd. These laws supported to a much extent the apartheid regime and were frequently used for harassing and arresting of political opponents. In as much as the government put this ban and shot several people, Nelson Mandela continued with his struggles and political activities while hiding, of which he also formed the Umkhonto we Sizwe (The nation’s spear ) organisation, which incorporated the use of sabotage as a means of ending apartheid . Otfinoski (1992) argues that he made his team to use violent acts so as to rebel against apartheid, instead of quitting the battle against it. Some of the arrangements he made against the apartheid regime included coordination of campaigns on the sabotage against the government targets as well as the military targets, hence making arrangements for a guerrilla war in case of failure in the plans that have been set to sabotage the government and military targets. Such campaigns also involved bombing of significant apartheid places, for instance the offices dealing with the pass regulations, the local magistrates courts, post offices and the government offices, while ensuring nobody is harmed. All these were aimed at discouraging apartheid rule. Mandela also secretly went abroad to campaign against the apartheid hence get foreign support as well as the political recognition for the fight against apartheid. In every place he went he ensured that he added people who were ready to participate in the struggle against apartheid. In as much as the government of P.W. Botha tried to suppress the anti-apartheid movement founded by Nelson Mandela, this movement grew even stronger when Mandela held his hand out to the people before going to prison, hence making him not only to be a symbol, but a motivator for them to continue working hard. The determination which the movement developed later led to international community getting more concerned hence the movement gained great support from the international community. This movement was extended to United States and Europe, who decided to participate in the fight against the apartheid regime and who got more support for their South African boycotts, U.S. firm’s withdrawal and for the release of Mandela from prison. Slowly South Africa was getting viewed by the international community as an outcast, as a result of the growing dissatisfaction of the international community by the way the government handled the issue of rights of south Africans. The investments from the international community were diminishing and disinvestment ensued. Mandela was given a condition by the government that he would only be released in case he renounced his stand on apartheid and stopped the anti- apartheid campaigners from carrying on with their campaigns, of which he categorically refused, stating that he would only do so with the abolishing of apartheid, which the government succumbed to. The movement he led, together with his determination to be jailed for the sake of his ambitions, later bore much fruit when the government of Frederik Willem de Klerk had no option but to heed to his demands of abolishing apartheid, in order for South Africa to continue participating in trades and other businesses with the international community. This marked the dawn of new South Africa (Sheehan, 2002). Nelson Mandela empowered and united the masses, especially through the knowledge that he imparted on them, which got spread very fast among the different people hence the whole south Africa got enlighten and continued carrying out this ambitions and activities even while Nelson Mandela was in prison. It is this knowledge and strength of unity which he instilled in the people of South Africa that led to the success of the battle against apartheid regime even after his imprisonment. It is not only the knowledge of the human rights that he was imparting on the masses, but more so his ambition consisted of making an elite south Africa full of educated people who had equal and abundant opportunities in their country, south Africa, which he did his best to achieve and which made the south Africans trust him and follow him wholeheartedly, without instilling this trust and confidence in them, perhaps it could have been said that he was just another political activist and wouldn’t have been referred to as the father of the nation, as the people owe this title to him right now (Bradley,1995). The ability of Nelson Mandela to influence, hence change, the minds of the South African citizens had great impacts of convincing them about their rights and the actions they had to take in order to realize their rights and experience their liberty. His tactics of disseminating the knowledge transformed the minds of different South Africans hence enabling them fight for their rights. In essence Nelson Mandela was a great leader who knew how to influence people’s perceptions and transforming them hence, despite the struggles by the government to contain the already existing uproar that had already plagued the apartheid South Africa, the government failed because the key lay with Nelson Mandela, and that is why the people kept shouting for his release after his arrest and imprisonment (Hakim, 2000). In view of the true need the South Africans had for justice, Nelson enforced justice, especially using the knowledge he had about law, so as to ensure that there was justice done for the south Africans who were not able to access such services due to poverty or due to the fact that they were not given the same priority with the whites. He addressed their problems in an affectionate manner and as a result not only made access to the legal rights affordable but enabled the South Africans to develop trust and loyalty in him. This, coupled with the previous efforts against the apartheid regime, made him win more followers who later became very important in fighting against apartheid rule. The same followers carried on the activities even while he was in prison and they stood with him until the country was liberated from the apartheid rule (Meredith, 2005). Mandela organised and prepared resistance army after the police shot several unarmed blacks and killed about 69 people (Sharpeville Massacre). Nelson Mandela, who was then fiercely proud, was so concerned and ready to act against this, hence he organised his comrades and together they armed themselves and were prepared to fight for the freedom of their country. Around late 1959, Mandela and some other ANC members got arrested and were later tried for the charges of treason. They were later acquitted. After the release, Mandela hid for a longer period while preparing his resistance army, aiming at ending the apartheid regime and restoring freedom and peace in the country, people whom later became a paramount pillar in the fight against the regime (Perry, 1992) . The freedom fighter was also fond of giving motivational speeches that increased the confidence level and trust of the South Africans, resulting in more successful operations, supported by the majority. An example is how he gave a speech while in the court before his imprisonment, in which he also mentioned his willingness to die or face death for the apartheid regime to end. This speech made him more respected and gained him more supporters while still in prison. The supporters carried on the anti-apartheid campaigns while Nelson Mandela was still in prison. Finally, the government couldn’t continue tolerating the anti- apartheid struggles as it was impacting greatly on the economy of the country as it was resulting in many sanctions being put on South Africa by the international community (Downing, 2004). By mobilising funds for the battle against apartheid, Mandela is also viewed as the chief architect of the current apartheid- free South Africa, mostly by the virtue that the campaigns against apartheid needed funding and he made sure they were available. The funds were collected from international supporters and were crucial in making sure that the movement had adequate materials for the work against apartheid, considering that this required more resources in order to ensure the movement attains their goals. Without this funding the group would have been long- failed and there wouldn’t have been apartheid-free and independent South Africa, probably apartheid would have intensified due to strict government surveillance over such political groups (Terreblanche, 2003). Nelson Mandela, with his party members, ensured the formation of the Freedom Charter, which was considered as what people wanted, and which had declarations that provided inspiration and great future hope for the South Africans. The self-explanatory ‘the people will rule’ opening claim of the charter was actually formed on the basis of the requirements of South Africans whereby some fifty individuals were sent out by ANC to gather ‘freedom demands’ from the South Africans, for the purposes of provision of equal rights to every individual in the country. Such demands were all collected and included in the charter and they consisted distribution of land to the landless, better wages for workers, less work hours and free education. This made the South Africans see from a distance the actual freedom from apartheid (Pillay, 1993). He also teamed up with the leadership of ANC since he was more inclined towards eradicating the injustices that existed in South Africa and ensuring the battle against apartheid was won. Together with ANC, Nelson Mandela organized an internal resistance that greatly baffled the then government since it halted the normal activities. This resulted in the government issuing bans and arrests which later affected the ANC party membership as majority of them, 155 members, were arrested, including Mandela. However this did not halt the revolts from the people since the people were geared towards ensuring they got their rights (Schadeberg, 1990). Mandela was very instrumental in the formation of The Congress of the people in 1954, which was made to provide new principles for the new South Africa. It was meant to fight against the apartheid as well as uniting different organisations that were suffering from the effects of apartheid to advocate for change. The Congress was therefore an open demonstration of power. He was also an inspiration towards the making of a new South Africa especially after joining the ANC, where he found out that ANC was a more conservative party and therefore became ANC youth league’s founding member whereby he adversely changed the perception of the party members towards the existing conditions thereby an inspiration towards making of a new south Africa. Nelson Mandela was very instrumental in negotiating against the apartheid regime both with the National Party and internationally. However, in as much as he tried to negotiate with National Party’s leader P.W. Botha and other white politicians about the need of bringing reconciliation in the country through abolishing the apartheid rule, he never succeeded quite as such. Botha died and was succeeded by Frederik Willem de Klerk. Without giving up, as the leader of ANC, he engaged in to conversations with the president who had just assumed power, De Klerk, after P.W. Botha died. Frederik Willem de Klerk was the seventh as well as the last president of the apartheid South Africa (1989-1994) and the leader of the National Party (1989-1997). He was never known to consider reform a priority while he was the National Party leader, until when he became the head of the governing party’s verligte forces (enlightened forces). Although, Nelson Mandela, in pursuit of freedom and equal rights, continued with further negotiations with the president’s successor, De Clerk, who always perceived apartheid as bad and who always, looked forward to its end. His request was granted, although after some time, as de klerk is quoted in Waldmeir (1997) “Although we cannot avoid to wait awhile” and later South Africa became free from apartheid, with great invitation of ANC and the rest of political parties, as de klerk said in de Klerk (1991) “come through the open door and sit at the table of negotiations”. Although, according to O'Meara (1996), the reason for De Clerk’s acceptance of Nelson Mandela’s demand was not necessarily in view of the necessity of an apartheid-free south Africa but this was basically to win back the mutual trade and relationship that had existed formerly between south Africa and the countries abroad, which were continuously boycotting trading and investing in south Africa because of its apartheid rule. Without proper negotiations the country would still have been in the hands of and plagued by the apartheid rule. De klerk therefore made South Africa have free and democratic elections after 3 centuries as he promised, as is shown in Sparks (1994) “a completely just and new constitutional dispensation where everybody will have equal rights, treatments as well as privileges.” He got the Nobel peace prize in 1993 for helping Mandela to end apartheid. He also became South Africa’s deputy president during Mandela’s presidency, until 1996, hence being the last white man to hold such a position in South Africa. He is therefore respected for intervening in the freedom issue and helping Mandela end the apartheid rule by yielding to the demands of Nelson Mandela, in order for the country to continue enjoying the trade benefits between her and the foreign countries (Johnson, 1995). Conclusion Nelson Mandela has been recognised as one of the major African leaders and the first African president in South Africa. Ultimately he is also among the longest detained political prisoners in the world. All this achievements bring out his characters as a true leader and as such he has been credited with the defeat of the apartheid regime in Africa, although with the help of his party the ANC, South Africans, and the international community. Were it not for Nelson Mandela, his great knowledge, confidence, unrelenting tolerance and his big ambitions for the country, Without this strong will and determination to die for his country and continue serving in the prison (despite the long period he had already spent there), any one could easily have seen the future of south Africa as one filled with desperacy for freedom, equality and justice. In essence, without him, South Africa couldn’t have achieved its independence and freedom from apartheid. Bibliography Boehmer, E. 2008, NELSON MANDELA A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press Inc, New York, United States. Pillay, G. 1993, Voices of Liberation: Albert Lutuli. HSRC Press, Cape Town. Bradley. 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