Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918, in Mvezo village in Cape Town province of South Africa. Nelson Mandela belongs to the clan of Madiba. He was the only to his parents Nongaphi Nosekeni and Nkosi Mphakanyaswa Mandela. His father was Nkosi Mphakanyaswa Mandela was the senior counselor to King Jongintaba Dalindyebo, the acting king of Thembu people by then. When Nelson Mandela was 12years, his father passed away and been the only son in their family, Nelson Mandela was made Jongintaba ward. Nelson Mandela later became famously known as Madiba to his clan.

Nelson Mandela attended Qunu primary school where he got the name Nelson from his teacher. It was the custom of the teachers to give school pupils Christian names. Nelson Mandela completed his primary education at Clerkebury Boarding School and a Wesleyan secondary school in Headtown. Nelson Mandela later joined Fort Hare University College where he studied a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Politics

Nelson Mandela became increasingly involved in politics in 1942. In 1944, Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress and assisted in the ANC Youth League. Nelson Mandela climbed the ranks of the ANC Youth League and in 1949; he made ANCYL to adopt a more drastic mass-based policy.

In 1952, Nelson Mandela was appointed the National Volunteer in charge of the Defiance Campaign. Towards the end of 1952, for the first Nelson Mandela banned from any freedom movement. Nelson Mandela as a restricted person was forced to watch secretly the adoption of the Freedom Charter on July 26, 1955 in Kliptown. Nelson Mandela directed acts nonviolent and peaceful defiance against racist policies and government of South Africa for over 20 years.

In 1961, Nelson Mandela organized national workers strike which lasted for three days. The following year, Nelson Mandela was arrested and sentenced for five year for leading the strike. Nelson Mandela tried before the law court again in 1963 and was found guilty of political offenses like sabotage and sentenced to life imprison.

Imprisonment

Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on the island of Robben for 18years of the 27 years he spend in prison. In the prison, Nelson Mandela contracted tuberculosis and been an Africa prison, he received the least level of medical attention. However, in prison Nelson Mandela studied bachelor of law degree through a program of London University.

Nelson Mandela was released on February 11, 1990 soon after President P. W. Botha suffered stroke and replaced by De Krerk. Nelson Mandela was voted the first black South Africa President under the African National Congress party and served as South Africa President for only one term.