History Coursework Assignment South Africa 1945-1994

In 1949 the 'Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act' came into force meaning that not only blacks and whites couldn't marry, but blacks and whites who were already married had to split.

On December 5th 1956 Mandela was arrested and accused of high treason. The trial did not end until 1961.

In the early 1960s Mandela led the ANC's paramilitary wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation). Mandela was willing to fight apartheid because he knew that apartheid laws were wrong and he wanted to be accepted as a black and treated the same as a white. Early 1962 Mandela slipped out of South Africa to gain support form other countries. When he returned to South Africa in June he was soon arrested, when he was charged with minor offences. Mandela was found guilty and sentenced to five years hard labour. While in prison, Mandela, along with several others, was convicted of sabotage and treason. Mandela stood up in the dock and read a speech out to the court that lasted four and a half hours. He talked of his views on xapartheid and what apartheid was doing to blacks, his speech was then published worldwide. In June 1964 Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment. During this period Mandela became a worldwide symbol of resistance to white domination in South Africa. Mandela stood up for what he believed in and did not back down, showing people that he was strong and willing to give up his life for what he believed in.

Mandela's life in prison was harsh. He was firstly imprisoned in Robben Island Maximum Security Prison. Day after day, Mandela laboured in a lime quarry. Every 6 months the prisoners were allowed to write and receive 1 letter. But he still he did not back down.

His prison life showed that he was prepared to give up a great part of his life for his beliefs and he was even known to refuse to leave unless action was taken to end apartheid. Most of the black population as well as many whites trusted Mandela as he was forgiving and didn't hold a grudge against the whites for how they treated he and other black and coloured people.

Mandela was not violent but he still would not tell the ANC to stop being violent. Mandela knew that if he carried on being peaceful he would get nowhere and he would not end apartheid this way. He had to condemn the ANC's violence, which was the only way to get the government to listen to them. Over the years he organised hunger strikes and go-slows to improve prison conditions. The result was better food, better clothes (Long trousers instead of shorts) hot water and more recreation. In 1973 the minister of prisons offered to reduce Mandela's sentence if he would support the idea of Transkei becoming an independent state. The offer was made a number of times, Mandela refused.

In 1984 the government tried to get Mandela to help them. They hoped he might condemn the ANC's violence and cause a split in the ANC's leadership.

In 1986 commonwealth politicians visited South Africa to find out whether sanctions would help end Apartheid. Botha had to reform apartheid and talked to the ANC. In June 1985 Mandela met Kobie Coetsee, the justice Minister and discussed the way forward.

Sanction was not the way forward, sanctions did not bring a sudden end to apartheid. Sanctions did not cover everything and companies found a way round these laws and continued trading.

In June 1987 the ANC wanted to make the government ungovernable and the ANC was succeeding. The government wanted the ANC to end its violence before public talks began. Mandela refused.

In 1989 President Botha suffered a stroke and was forced to resign, F W de Klerk became president.

The ANC were not only fighting the government, but also Inkartha Freedom Party, the Zulus who were backed by a 'third force', the security forces. The security forces encouraged war between the ANC and Inkartha so that the government was, in effect, "off the hook".

In December 1989 de Klerk and Mandela met and the ban on the ANC was lifted.

The government, under President F. W. de Klerk, released Mandela in February 1990 after lifting the ban on the ANC. Mandela assumed leadership of the ANC and led negotiations with the government for a new constitution that would grant political power to the country's black majority population.

In 1991 the government repealed the last of the laws that formed the legal basis for apartheid.

Political prisoners who had not committed violent crimes were released. It was also decided that the death sentence would be stopped.

Nelson Mandela was voted President of South Africa in 1994.

Mandela once said

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.

He said this on February 11th 1990, on his release from prison and, this is how Mandela's attitude was towards every person and towards his beliefs.