Nelson Mandela From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Mandela redirects here. For other uses, see Mandela (disambiguation). Page semi-protected This is a good article. Click here for more information. His Excellency Nelson Mandela BR OM AC CC OJ GCStJ QC GCH Nelson Mandela on the eve of his 90th birthday in Johannesburg in May 2008 Mandela in Johannesburg, on 13 May 2008 1st President of South Africa In office 10 May 1994 – 14 June 1999 Deputy Thabo Mbeki F. W. de Klerk Preceded by F. W. de Klerk As State President Succeeded by Thabo Mbeki Personal details Born Rolihlahla Mandela 18 July 1918 Mvezo, Cape Province, Union of South Africa Died 5 December 2013 (aged 95) Johannesburg, South Africa Resting place Mandela Graveyard Qunu, Eastern Cape 31°48′21.8″S 28°36′52.7″E Nationality South African Political party African National Congress Other political affiliations South African Communist Party Spouse(s) Evelyn Ntoko Mase (m. 1944–1957; divorced) Winnie Madikizela (m. 1958–1996; divorced) Graça Machel (m. 1998–2013; his death) Children Thembekile Mandela Makaziwe Mandela Makgatho Mandela Makaziwe Mandela Zenani Mandela Zindziswa Mandela Alma mater University of Fort Hare UoL External Programme University of South Africa University of the Witwatersrand Occupation Activist Politician Philanthropist Freedom Fighter Lawyer Religion Methodist[1][2] Known for Anti-Apartheid Movement Awards Sakharov Prize (1988) Bharat Ratna (1990) Nobel Peace Prize (1993) Order of Lenin Presidential Medal of Freedom Notable work(s) Long Walk to Freedom Signature Signature of Nelson Mandela Website nelsonmandela.org Nickname(s) Madiba Tata Dalibhunga (initiation name)[3] Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (/mænˈdɛlə/;[4] Xhosa pronunciation: [xoˈliːɬaɬa manˈdeːla]; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician and philanthropist who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was South Africas first black chief executive, and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election. His government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid through tackling institutionalised racism, poverty and inequality, and fostering racial reconciliation. Politically an African nationalist and democratic socialist, he served as President of the African National Congress (ANC) from 1991 to 1997. Internationally, Mandela was Secretary General of the Non-Aligned Movement from 1998 to 1999. A Xhosa born to the Thembu royal family, Mandela attended the Fort Hare University and the University of Witwatersrand, where he studied law. Living in Johannesburg, he became involved in anti-colonial politics, joining the ANC and becoming a founding member of its Youth League. After the South African National Party came to power in 1948, he rose to prominence in the ANCs 1952 Defiance Campaign, was appointed superintendent of the organisations Transvaal chapter and presided over the 1955 Congress of the People. Working as a lawyer, he was repeatedly arrested for seditious activities and, with the ANC leadership, was unsuccessfully prosecuted in the Treason Trial from 1956 to 1961. Influenced by Marxism, he secretly joined the South African Communist Party (SACP) and sat on its Central Committee. Although initially committed to non-violent protest, in association with the SACP he co-founded the militant Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) in 1961, leading a sabotage campaign against the apartheid government. In 1962, he was arrested, convicted of conspiracy to overthrow the state, and sentenced to life imprisonment in the Rivonia Trial. Mandela served 27 years in prison, initially on Robben Island, and later in Pollsmoor Prison and Victor Verster Prison. An international campaign lobbied for his release. He was released in 1990, during a time of escalating civil strife. Mandela joined negotiations with President F. W. de Klerk to abolish apartheid and establish multiracial elections in 1994, in which he led the ANC to victory and became South Africas first black president. He published his autobiography in 1995. During his tenure in the Government of National Unity he invited other political parties to join the cabinet, and promulgated a new constitution. He also created the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate past human rights abuses. While continuing the former governments liberal economic policy, his administration also introduced measures to encourage land reform, combat poverty, and expand healthcare services. Internationally, he acted as mediator between Libya and the United Kingdom in the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial, and oversaw military intervention in Lesotho. He declined to run for a second term, and was succeeded by his deputy, Thabo Mbeki. Mandela became an elder statesman, focusing on charitable work in combating poverty and HIV/AIDS through the Nelson Mandela Foundation. For many on the political Right, Mandela was a controversial figure for much of his life. Denounced as a communist terrorist by critics,[5][6] he nevertheless gained international acclaim for his activism, having received more than 250 honours, including the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize, the US Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Soviet Order of Lenin. He is held in deep respect within South Africa, where he is often referred to by his Xhosa clan name, Madiba, or as Tata (Father); he is often described as the father of the nation
Posted on: Fri, 13 Jun 2014 09:56:37 +0000
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