Nelson Mandela - Biography

NELSON MANDELA

Introduction
Nelson “Rohlihlahla” Mandela was born on the eighteenth of July in “Mvezo,” a small village on the banks of the Mbashe River, in the region of the Thembu people. His originally given name, “Rohlihlahla” is translated as “to pull the branch off the tree,” but can also be used as “troublemaker.” He was given the name “Nelson” when he first went to school, where it was the custom to give the black children “white” names.
His father was of a relatively high class ancestry, which could be described as a form of tribal royalty, and was an advisor to the “king,” and the chief of his tribe.


Early Life – Village(s)
Mandela spent his early life in this village, and because of his father’s high status position among the other villagers, Nelson lived in relative comfort in this village. He was also exposed to many highly influential tasks that needed to be upheld, and the responsibilities that came with living in such a household. All these factors in this short time of his early life established a respect in Mandela, although he has described a stubbornness that he saw in both himself and his father.
This life was abruptly destroyed when this stubbornness that had caused trouble before became obvious in an argument between his father and the local magistrate, which eventually resulted in the removal of both the high status and the fortune that came with it. This event both ended the Mandela line of chieftaincy, and might also have influenced a young Nelson Mandela into standing up for himself in later life. After his father lost his chieftainship, he took his family to live in Qunu, a village north of Mvezo, where they would have the support of relations and friends.
When in Qunu Mandela’s father befriended two brothers of the amaMfengu clan, each being both educated and Christian. After living among these people Mandela’s mother converted to Christianity, and so did Nelson. These two suggested that Nelson should go to school, and the idea was immediately supported by his father, who wasn’t educated and had not sent any of his other children to school. It was in this first class that Rohlihlahla Mandela was renamed Nelson.


Later than early life – Palace of the Regent
His father died when Nelson was nine years old. Nelson’s mother took him to the capital of Thembuland, Mqhekezweni, the palace of the Regent, Chief Jongintaba Dalindyebo. Nelson later learnt that the Regent had offered to become Nelson’s guardian, and that this was to be his place of residence for the next ten years. When at the palace, Nelson observed the role of the Regent and his court. In this he saw what he called “democracy in it’s purest form.” This was because of the fact that all people were allowed to present ideas when in the court of the Regent, and all opinions were valued and considered. These observations and what he learned from them may have played a big part in how Mandela worked in later life.


Event – Circumcision
When Mandela turned sixteen, he went through the ritual that was required when going into manhood: circumcision. This included a seclusion of a period of time, during which no women were allowed to see them. After this time, a celebration was held to welcome all the boys back into the community as men. The main speaker at this celebration then made a speech, declaring how fine it was that all the young men were continuing traditions that went back many years, but then went on to say that these traditions cannot be upheld for much longer, while all black South Africans were “slaves in their own country.” This seemed to strike a chord in Mandela, and he has written:

“Without exactly understanding why, his words began to work on me. He had sown a seed, and though I let that seed lie dormant for a long season, it eventually began to grow.”


Later schooling
Keeping to the custom of the Thembu people, Mandela attended the Clarkebury Boarding Institute at age sixteen, and completed his Junior Certificate in two years instead of three. Mandela describes his learning ability to come from his “doggedness,” and says that thoughts and ideas didn’t come as easily to himself as they did for others. This persistent attitude then got him through the Wesleyan College at age nineteen, and the University College after that.

Mandela then returned to his home at the palace to discover that the Regent had set up an arranged marriage for him. He didn’t want to go through with this so he ran away to Johannesburg to get a job. What he found was tiny shacks for houses, and while the gold industry was prosperous, this was because of how cheap black labour was. Mandela says that he realised he was in for a “new kind of education” that he would be dealing with after being face with what he called South African capitalism.

Mandela’s first political experience came while acting as an articled clerk for the white man: Lazar Sidelsky. The protest, which was against the rising of bus fares from four to five pence was in August 1943, and may have been one of the most influential events in Mandela’s life. This is because after all the black mistreatment that Mandela witnessed, this was the first time that he had actually stood up for himself and others. It was a non-violent protest, and Mandela was surprised by its effectiveness, and he it was this protest, and also Ghandi’s, which inspired Mandela’s protests in later life.


ANC: “The struggle that is my life” / Prison
Mandela joined the African National Congress after his first protest, and from that time on began his series of protests against the apartheid.
These protests were in Ghandi’s form of non-violent resistance, although were met with nothing of the sort. Some massacres of unarmed protesters occurred, although one of the most memorable was the “Sharpeville Massacre.”

On March 21 1960, more than 20 000 unarmed protesters were present in the town of Sharpeville. They were protesting against laws that restricted black people to be present in so called “white areas” of town. The black people formed a barricade behind a 4 foot wire-mesh fence surrounding the police station. At approximately 1:20 pm the South African policemen were ordered to load, and the protesters were subsequently fired on.
This event caused many protests to erupt around the country, and the ANC was subsequently banned. Mandela responded by creating “Umkhonto we Sizwe” – MK for short – or “Spear of the Nation,” an underground sub-organization of the ANC, that would use a minimialized amount of force.

Their actions were organised to not allow for loss of human life, and over 200 sabotage operations were carried out. After being a constant annoyance to the white apartheid regime, Spear of the Nation was announced to be a terrorist organisation.
When police raids of the Rivonia headquarters of MK in 1963 found that they were studying an overview of plans for guerrilla warfare, they were subsequently tried for 223 acts of sabotage which were spread through 1963 and 64. During the “Rivonia trial” Mandela made a speech that was replicated throughout the world, in which he stated that he was prepared to die for his cause. At a point in the trial the death penalty was suggested, although this was dismissed after being responded to by many protests from outraged people all over the world. Mandela was then sentenced to life imprisonment with less privileges. When being offered release in February 1985 by the acting president of South Africa, P.W. Botha, Mandela refused. This was because the release was under the condition that Mandela would not return to his organisation and it’s “armed struggle.” His famous and inspiring response he gave through his daughter:
“What freedom am I being offered while the organisation of the people remains banned? Only free men can negotiate. A prisoner cannot enter into contracts.”
His determination to uphold the things he stands for has been represented in this response, and has probably inspired many people.

Botha suffered a stroke in January 1989, resulting in a Frederick W. de Klerk becoming president. This was following world wide opposition to Mandela’s imprisonment, the main slogan was simply: “Free Nelson Mandela!” While Klerk slowly began the transition from the apartheid society, he removed the ban on organisations, and Mandela was subsequently released on the 2nd of February 1990, a ceremony so important that it was broadcast live all over the world. Upon his release, Mandela was instated as the president of the ANC.
The reduction of apartheid views saw Mandela and Klerk having consultations. Their extensive work earned them both the Nobel Piece Prize in 1993. The decision to have the first inter-racial elections was received well all over the world, especially when it was announced that Mandela would be running for president. Mandela was elected the first black president for South Africa on the 10th of May, 1994.


His time as President / Legacy
Mandela was president of South Africa from 1994-1999 and in that time he fought for the equality of all, and as the apartheid regime of South Africa slowly disintegrated, the effect on the world was as profound as the effect witnessed in his homeland. The mistreatment of black peoples from all over the world reduced, and this was celebrated as a great achievement.
Nelson Mandela’s life influenced change all over the world, and has become a symbol of freedom, persistence, strength, and the hardworking attitude that got him through good and bad. He has had six children with three wives, has twenty grandchildren, and an ever-increasing amount of great-grandchildren. I believe that they will further his legacy long after he is gone, and will be recognised as the children of a man that has changed the world it’s ideals.


Resources:

The Sharpeville Massacre - TIME
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,869441-1,00.html

Nelson Mandela – Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela

Umkhonto we Sizwe – Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umkhonto_we_Sizwe

“The Illustrated Long Walk to Freedom” Little Brown(1994), an autobiography of Nelson Mandela

(Resources first compiled 2/08/08)


Written by ALEX BLUNDELL