Nelson Mandela essay

Tuesday 19th May 2009

NELSON MANDELA

His full name is Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. He was born in Transkei, South Africa on the 18th July 1918. His middle name ‘Rolihlahla’ means ‘to pull a branch of a tree’ or in a way that makes more sense’ troublemaker’. Rolihlahla was the first person in his family to go to school, it is at school that his teacher gave him the English name ‘Nelson’.

Mandelas Mother was Nosekeni Fanny. Nelson’s father was chief of the town of Mvezo which is a small village in the Umtata district, the family would later be moved to Qunu because his father position was taken from him. His father remained a member of the Inkosi’s Privy council.

Mandela’s father died of tuberculosis when Mandela was only nine years old. Mandela was informally adopted by Dalindyebo after his father’s death. His father had four wives and thirteen children.

Mandela went to a Wesleyan mission school. Following Thembu tradition, he was ‘initiated’ when he was sixteen years old. He went on to attend Clarkebury boarding institute. Nelson was set to inherit his fathers position as a Privy counsellor so he moved to Healdtown, the Wesleyan college in Fort Beaufort in 1937. At the age of nineteen, Nelson started to take an interest in running and boxing at this school.

At his new school Nelson chose to study for a Bachelor of arts at the Dort Hare university, at this university he met Oliver Tambo. Nelson and Oliver were to be friends for life and also worked with each other. Nelson was asked to leave the school at some point and to not return unless he accepted election to SRC. So instead Mandela studied for a Bachelor of laws from the university of London external programme.

Soon after his departure from Forte Hare Jongitaba told Mandela and Justice that he had arranged marriages for them both. Neither of them were ...

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Soon after his departure from Forte Hare Jongitaba told Mandela and Justice that he had arranged marriages for them both. Neither of them were very happy about the arrangement and so Mandela and Justice moved to Johannesburg to escape from the plan. Mandela found work as a guard to a mine, but he was given the sack when his employer found out what he had done. Mandela then started work as an articled clerk at a Johannesburg law firm. While he was working with Witkin, Sidelsky and Edelman, Mandela

completed his Bachelor of arts degree via correspondence at the university of South Africa, after he began law studies at the university of

Witwatersrand where he met friends and future anti- apartheid political activists Joe Slovo, Harry Schwarz and Ruth First.

After the victory of the 1948 Afrikaner dominated national party, Mandela started working with politics. Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo had a law firm ‘Mandela and Tambo’ which provided may blacks with free or low cost attorney representation.

Mandela participated in many political events but I will skip to the main part now.

Nelson became leader of ANC’s armed wing in 1961 of which he was the co- founder. He campaigned sabotages against military and government targets. Mandela said that the move to armed struggle as a last resort because non violent protests against apartheid didn’t work.

On the 5th of August 1952, Nelson was arrested after being on the run for seventeen months. Three days later he was charged with leading workers to strike in 1961 and leaving the country illegally. On October 25th 1962, Mandela was given a five year prison sentence

Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on Robben Island for eighteen of his twenty- seven years in prison. Nelson was the lowest class of prisoner which meant he had the poorest living conditions possible at the prison. During his time in prison Mandela became widely known as the most significant black leader in South Africa.

In March 1982 Mandela was transferred to Pollsmoor prison.

During Nelsons imprisonment much pressure was put on the South African government to release Nelson Mandela under the slogan ‘Free Nelson Mandela!’ There is even a song about it.

Nelson Mandela was finally released on the 2nd of February 1990 by the new president F.W de Klerk who replaced Botha, the last president after he ha had a stroke.

Quotes by Nelson Mandela…

“If there are dreams about a beautiful South Africa, there are also roads that lead to their goal. Two of these roads could be named Goodness and Forgiveness”

“Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all”

“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 needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die”

“It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership”

By doing this essay I have learnt about the life of Nelson Mandela. He was a South African leader who held protests against the things he did not believe were right, he served many years in prison and lots of people did not want him to be in prison and one band did make a song about him. There are many books written about the life of Nelson Mandela and much information on the internet. He is a well known public figure who is now free.

By Zoe Cope 9S