Life and Deeds of Nelson Mandela - Report Example

BIOGRAPHY OF NELSON MANDELA Born in 1918, Mandela joined the ANC and formed the ANCYL to launch a Program of Action against the government’s policy of apartheid and turning the nation into a Republic without participation from blacks. Like Gandhi, Mandela used non-violence during mass protests. But when the government’s response only turned more violent, Mandela and other ANC leaders were forced to form the military wing Umkhonto we Sizwe and solicit foreign assistance to support it. Mandela was arrested and incarcerated for this. After nearly 27 years in prison, a sustained national and international campaign, and his secret agreement with de Klerk secured his release in 1990 plus South Africa’s transition from apartheid to democracy. Mandela was elected South African President in 1994. Two of history’s most inspiring human rights figures, Mohandas Gandhi and Nelson Mandela are alike in 3 ways. They command tremendous admiration and respect from their country citizens as well as the rest of the world, they are both regarded as Fathers of their respective nations, and they have based their struggle for independence on the principle of non-violence. I) Early life Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on July 18, 1918 in a village close to Umtata in South Africa. His father Henry Mgadla Mandela held the position of chief councilor to David Dalindyebo, the Paramount Chief of Thembuland a post to which Nelson was expected to succeed him. However the boy, who used to avidly observe the conduct of cases in the Chief’s court, became enthralled with courtroom drama and decided to take up law as a profession (http://www.anc.org.za/people.mandela.html). He completed his secondary education at Healdton Methodist Boarding school in 1938 (Sampson, 2000, p.23) before joining the Bachelor of Arts {BA} course the University College in Fort Hare. He was chosen as a member of the college Students’ Representative Council. He was barred from attending college for participating in a student protest rally. Nelson relocated to Johannesburg, and after finishing his B.A course by correspondence, he started studying for LLB while at the same time entering politics for the first time in 1942 by joining the African National Congress {ANC} (http://www.anc.org.za/people.mandela.html), an organization that had been set up as long back as 1912 by Zulu lawyer Pixley Ka Izaka Seme (Sampson, 2000, p.39). II) Involvement with the ANC During the latter years of World War II, Mandela and several other young ANC members like Anton Lembede, Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, Ashby Mda and William Nkomo broke away from the mainstream ANC (http://www.anc.org.za/people.mandela.html) {which they considered a staid, formal body with many members from royal families (Sampson, 2000, p.40) and therefore inadequate to tackle the job of national emancipation}, to form the African National Congress Youth League {ANCYL} in September 1944. Its objective was to obtain its power and motivation from the teeming millions of workers, peasants and professionals and spearhead a collective campaign by the masses. Mandela soon developed a reputation for orderly work and consistency in action on account of which he was chosen as ANYCL Secretary. He and other members toiled long and hard by canvassing at all levels of the people {especially through the organization’s mouthpiece ‘Inyaniso’ [‘Truth’]} to gain favor for its program among the ANC members. Their efforts were successful, as during the 1945 ANC yearly meeting, two ANYCL leaders {Anton Lembede and Ashby Mda} were chosen as members of the National Executive Committee {NEC}, while a third ANYCL leader {Oliver Tambo} was also elected on to the NEC during the 1947 ANC general meeting (http://www.anc.org.za/people.mandela.html). III) ANYCL Program of Action The 1949 ANC meeting was a grim affair as it was convened soon after the National Party’s landslide victory in the 1948 all-white elections on the publicly announced platform of racially segregated apartheid (http://www.anc.org.za/people.mandela.html). Emulating the mass action and passive resistance adopted by Gandhi in India during its struggle for independence from the British (Sampson, 2000, p.55), the ANYCL proposed Program of Action called for the use of strikes, boycotts, non-cooperation and civil disobedience. It was officially accepted as ANC policy at the ANC meeting. The ANC entrusted young leaders with the implementation of the Program of Action. ANCYL leader Walter Sisulu became its Secretary-General, while Dr. J.S. Moroka was elected as its President. The Program of Action objectives included free and mandatory education for all black South Africans, mass education for adults, reallocation of land, granting of trade union rights, granting of full citizenship, and allowing blacks to be directly represented in Parliament (http://www.anc.org.za/people.mandela.html). Perhaps the most prominent action under the Program of Action was the Campaign for the Defiance of Unjust Laws undertaken in 1952. Mandela {who had earlier been elected to the NEC in 1950} was appointed as National Volunteer-in-Chief to lead it. It was meant to start with a few volunteers that would attract increasing numbers of the black population to form a mass civil disobedience movement. In his role as Volunteer-in-Chief, Mandela traveled extensively all over the nation to muster opposition against the government’s unjust laws. He was arrested and charged for his participating in the Defiance Campaign. However, in view of his incitement to ANC followers to always follow non-violent means of protest, the court handed him a suspended sentence, barred him from participating in ANC meetings and prohibited him from leaving Johannesburg for 6 months. In recognition and appreciation for his great efforts during the Defiance Campaign, Mandela was elected as President of the ANYCL and Vice-President of the ANC (http://www.anc.org.za/people.mandela.html). Mandela used the 6 months’ confinement period to complete his LLB and became a lawyer, forming a partnership with Oliver Tambo to start the first black law firm in South Africa named ‘Mandela & Tambo’ in Johannesburg in 1952 (Sampson, 2000, 62). There were many attempts to disrupt the legal practice of ‘Mandela & Tambo’ including a petition by the Transvaal Law Society {that was however dismissed by the Supreme Court which declared Mandela was motivated with the desire to help his black people, and had done nothing to be judged unworthy of his noble profession} (http://www.anc.org.za/people.mandela.html). During the rest of the 1950s, Mandela was subjected to many types of suppression. He was arrested on December 5, 1956 on charges of high treason and incarcerated along with other ANC leaders (http://www.biography.com/blackhistory/nelson-mandela.jsp). The Treason Trial dragged on for 5 years with Mandela and Duma Nokwe serving as lawyers for the defense (http://www.anc.org.za/people.mandela.html). Meanwhile the infamous Sharpeville Massacre took place in 1960, involving a crowd of black protestors being fired upon by police, resulting in 69 deaths and scores of wounded. The incident sparked national unrest, leading to the government announcing a state of emergency (http://www.biography.com/blackhistory/nelson-mandela.jsp), while also outlawing ANC in the process. The Treason Trail finally ended in 1961 with a verdict of acquittal (http://www.anc.org.za/people.mandela.html) to all the 156 accused including Mandela (Brink http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,988171,00.html). IV) Protests against formation of the South African Republic The South African government declared its intention to turn the nation into a Republic in 1961. Mandela took the lead in organizing protests against the move. With the help of other ANC leaders {who had gone into hiding}, he organized the All-In-African Conference in Pietermaritzburg in March 1961 which was attended by 1,400 delegates. In an impassioned speech, Mandela dared the country’s apartheid government to hold a national conference where representatives of all South Africans could formulate a new Constitution founded on democratic ideals, warning that if this is was done, the blacks would mark the ceremonial opening of the Republic with a massive general strike. Mandela quickly went into hiding after the Conference to organize the strike. Although it did not attract as many people as Mandela anticipated, still the general strike was held on schedule to greet the birth of the Republic of South Africa (http://www.anc.org.za/people.mandela.html). This event was followed by 2 months of hiding, eluding police and using various disguises {it earned Mandela the nickname ‘The Black Pimpernel’} while he evaded attempts to arrest him. Mandela became extremely frustrated at not being able to lead protests openly, and much against his wishes, was forced to deviate from his principles of non-violence and consider using violence in the struggle for justice. He and other ANC leaders came to the conclusion that since their policy of non-violence was not working and was instead constantly countered by force from the government, they had no alternative but to form a new military wing which they did in June 1961, calling it ‘Umkhonto we Sizwe’ (http://www.anc.org.za/people.mandela.html) which means ‘Spear of the Nation’ (http://www.biography.com/blackhistory/nelson-mandela.jsp). V) Umkhonto we Sizwe Mandela was elected commander-in-chief of Umkhonto we Sizwe {called MK in short}. Under his leadership, MK carried out several operations involving deliberate destruction of government and economic targets. Mandela illegally traveled abroad in 1962 to undergo military training in Algeria. He also visited several countries over a span of many months in a bid to muster support for the new armed struggle of the ANC; he was invariably given a grand welcome and accorded warm hospitality by the governments of those countries. He held talks with several nations with the aim of imparting guerilla training for MK members. Mandela also addressed the Conference of the Pan African Freedom Movement of East and Central Africa held in Ethiopia. Mandela was arrested as soon as he returned to South Africa, charged on dual counts of unlawfully leaving the country and mustering efforts to strike against the nation, and held pending trial (http://www.anc.org.za/people.mandela.html). VI) Conviction and Imprisonment Recognizing that his trial in 1962 was actually the trial of the ambitions of black South Africans, Mandela declared to the magistrate: “I detest racialism, because I regard it as a barbaric thing, whether it comes from a black man or a white man,” before asking for a recusal because the entire judiciary was comprised of white people, and because he was not bound to adhere to the regulations of a white Parliament which contained no blacks to represent him in it. The court found him guilty and handed down a 5 year incarceration term. While he was still in prison, a second charge – this time of treason – was brought against Mandela in the Rivonia Trial (http://www.anc.org.za/people.mandela.html). Mandela’s court declaration during the Trial was so impassioned and resounding with sincerity that it not only seared the conscience of the world, but also greatly moved and inspired South African blacks in all walks of life, emboldening them to fight against oppression. Mandela declared: “During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to the struggle of the African people. 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 need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die” (Brink http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,988171,00.html). The court was not impressed and ruled that he be incarcerated for life. Mandela spent nearly 27 years of his life in prison. He was initially incarcerated for over 20 years {1964 – 1984} in the infamous Robben Island Prison located near Cape Town (http://www.anc.org.za/people.mandela.html). His prison number was 46664, signifying that he was the 466th prisoner to be incarcerated there (http://www.biography.com/blackhistory/nelson-mandela.jsp). He was later moved to Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town where he spent around 4 years {April 1984 to December 1988}. Mandela was next transferred to Victor Verster Prison near Paarl where he spent just over a year {December 1988 to February 1990} (http://www.anc.org.za/people.mandela.html). His response to the hardships of prison life was a creative disavowal of victim-hood which he displayed by resorting to self-education (Brink http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,988171,00.html). He was often tempted by offers to reduce his prison term if he accepted certain conditions {such as renunciation of violence and recognizing Transkei}, but he steadfastly refused, stating that only free individuals can negotiate, and that prisoners are forestalled from entering into contracts (http://www.anc.org.za/people.mandela.html). VII) Campaign to free Mandela Mandela’s prison term served to highlight the injustices of apartheid to the world, sparking off a rapidly increasing clamor for his release that resounded across the globe (Sampson, 2000, p.345). The movement to free Mandela started with the Johannesburg Sunday Post’s headline ‘Free Nelson Mandela’ in March 1980 that included a petition calling for freedom to him as well as other political prisoners (http://www.biography.com/blackhistory/nelson-mandela.jsp). Blacks became increasingly restless all over South Africa, making the country edge dangerously close to civil war (Sampson, 2000, p.345). As the outbreaks of violence became more menacing, even conservative South African newspapers started calling for Mandela’s release (Sampson, 2000, p.356). Anti-apartheid lobbies in America and Europe stepped up their demands for sanctions against South Africa and for Mandela’s release by using more sophisticated leverage (Sampson, 2000, p.328). Several songs were even composed to highlight his predicament such as ‘Free Nelson Mandela’ by British group AKA in 1984, and ‘Nelson Mandela’ by Senegalese singer Youssou N’Dour in 1985 (http://www.biography.com/blackhistory/nelson-mandela.jsp). VIII) Mandela’s release from prison As the campaign to free him increased in intensity, Mandela took a unilateral decision to adopt a new strategy. After a series of careful and exhaustive preliminaries, he held a personal meeting with South African President F.W. de Klerk to negotiate not only his personal freedom, but also the country’s passage from apartheid to democracy. The negotiations proved to be successful, culminating in de Klerk giving a press conference on February 2, 1990 in which he cancelled the ban on ANC and ordered Mandela’s release from prison (Brink http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,988171,00.html). The picture of Mandela standing stiffly and smiling blandly alongside de Klerk was splashed on the front pages of newspapers and appeared in television programs all over the world (Sampson, 2000, p.401). Mandela was officially released from prison 9 days after the press conference. Mandela and de Klerk worked together to win the support of their respective followers and allay any misgivings or fears that their negotiated terms may have spawned – for which the two men were the unanimous joint choice to receive the prestigious Nobel Prize in 1993. IX) Aftermath of release from prison After his release from prison, Mandela resumed what had become his life’s ambition, namely, trying to achieve the objectives that he and other ANC leaders had envisaged nearly 40 years before. The ANC convened a national conference in 1991 during which Mandela was elected as ANC President while Oliver Tambo was elected as National Chairperson (http://www.anc.org.za/people.mandela.html). True to his promise, thereby fulfilling Mandela’s estimation of him as a ‘man of integrity’ (Sampson, 2000, p.404), de Klerk began taking apart the apartheid apparatus in the country in 1991. In the aftermath of the nation’s first ‘national, non-racial, one-person-one-vote’ election (http://www.biography.com/blackhistory/nelson-mandela.jsp), Mandela was elected the first black President of South Africa on May 10, 1994. He held that exalted position until June 1999 when he decided to retire from politics (http://www.anc.org.za/people.mandela.html). While Mandela presently lives a life of retirement in his birthplace of Qunu in Transkei (http://www.anc.org.za/people.mandela.html), he continues to express his views on matters relevant to South Africa as well as the world such as the spread of AIDS, poverty and human rights. He helped to form ‘The Elders’ with Kofi Annan, Jimmy Carter and Desmond Totu to tackle world grievances. Mandela also used his influence to win South Africa the role as host to the 2010 Soccer World Cup (http://www.biography.com/blackhistory/nelson-mandela.jsp). X) Highlights of Mandela’s personal life Nelson Mandela got married several times. His first wife, whom he married in 1944, was Evelyn Mase. The couple had 2 children – a son Madiba who was born in 1946, and a daughter Makaziwe who was born in 1953. The marriage between Mandela and Evelyn ended in divorce in 1957. Mandela married Winnie Madikizela the following year. They had 2 daughters – Zenani and Zindziswa, born in 1959 and 1960 respectively. Mandela’s marriage to Winnie also ended in divorce in 1992. Mandela got married for the third time on his 80th birthday to Graca Machel on July 18, 1998 with whom he presently lives (http://www.biography.com/blackhistory/nelson-mandela.jsp). XI) Conclusion Although Nelson Mandela humbly admits that he is in fact “not a messiah, but an ordinary man who had become a leader because of extraordinary circumstances” (Brink http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,988171,00.html), there is no doubt that has been an inspiration to people all over the world who are being subjected to the evils of suppression and deprivation. It is no wonder therefore that he has been the recipient of a large number of accolades, the most outstanding of them being, apart from the Nobel Prize, 50 honorary degrees from universities all over the world and being honored as the central figure in the 1997 Hollywood film ‘Mandela and De Klerk’ starring Sidney Poitier as Mandela. XII) References: Brink, A. (1998). Nelson Mandela. Retrieved November 21, 2008, from TIME Magazine Web site: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,988171,00.html Nelson Mandela Biography. (2008). Retrieved November 21, 2008, from Biography.com Web site: http://www.biography.com/blackhistory/nelson-mandela.jsp Profile of Nelson Mandela. (2008). Retrieved November 21, 2008, from African National Congress Web site: http://www.anc.org.za/people/mandela.html Sampson, A. (2000). Mandela: The Authorized Biography. USA: Vintage. Read More