Report On Nelson Mandela

Background

On 18th July 1918, in Mvezo in the Transkei, Rolihlahla Mandela was born. He would later become better known as Nelson, given the Christian name by his primary school teacher.

Nelson being the son of a Chief and having been taken in by the regent Jongintaba after his fathers death would go on to receive an education at Clarkebury Boarding Institute in Engcobo then Wesleyan College at Fort Beaufort. When he was 21 years old (1939) he enrolled at University College of Fort Hare in Alice. Here he began his studies for his Batchelor of Arts degree. After a year he became involved with the Student Representative Council and their boycott against university policies. He was expelled before he could complete his degree.

In 1941 to avoid an arranged marriage he ran off to Johannesburg. Here he would complete his law degree, open South Africa’s first black law firm and this would be the start of his interest in the ANC. Mandela would begin his lifelong involvement in politics and equality for South Africa. 1.O Terms of Reference
Stephen Colbert (Lecturer) has requested Daniel Leitch to write a report on Nelson Mandela’s fight against apartheid. It is a requirement of Communications: Level 5 (F3GB 11) and is due to be submitted on the 6th of November 2014.

2.0 Procedures
Research for this report was conducted via the internet, by visiting reputable websites- see bibliography.

3.0 Findings 3.1 Mandela the Freedom Fighter
In Johannesburg Mandela would continue his studies whilst clerking and gaining experience at a law firm. He would complete his law degree and having discovered that white law firms were too expensive and charged black clients an even higher rate Mandela and his friend Oliver Tambo opened South Africa’s first black law firm. They offered blacks legal aid and acted as public defenders.

Living in Johannesburg made Mandela aware of the inequality that blacks faced and this led to his interest and desire to change things. He began to attend ANC meeting and became involved with protest such as the protest against the rise in bus fares. His involvement in the ANC would lead to his eventual imprisonment.
Mandela entered into negotiations with F.W de Klerk after his release from prison in 1990. These talks lead to the end of apartheid and this sees South Africa hold its first democratic election, blacks could now vote for the first time.

In 1994 Nelson Mandela became the first black president of South Africa. He attended the Rugby World Cup held in South Africa in 1995. Here he dons the Springbok jersey and steps onto the pitch in front of 65,000 white South Africans, uniting a racially divided country.

Mandela goes on after his presidency to establish a number of charitable organisations and becomes a strong campaigner for more research into HIV/AIDS. Mandela receives many awards after his prison term most notably the Noble Peace Prize.

3.2 Mandela the Terrorist
Mandela was co-founder and the head of UmKhonto we Sizwe, (MK), the terrorist wing of the ANC. He travelled to Algeria and Ethiopia to receive military training and to find support for the ANC. Mandela trained in sabotage, demolitions and how to stage hit and run attacks.
Mandela served 27 years in prison, pleading guilty to 156 acts of public violence including mobilizing terrorist bombing campaigns, which planted bombs in public places, including the Johannesburg railway station. Whilst imprisoned Mandela sanctioned further acts of terrorism notably the Church Street car bombing on May 20th 1983, killing 19 people and injuring more than 200.
Amnesty International refused to recognise Mandela as a "prisoner of conscience" and never asked for his release. Mandela refused South African President PW Botha's offer to release him if he renounced violence, and violent protest, as a means to bring about change in South Africa. Previous offers of release had been rejected by Mandela where the condition was that he be confined to the Transkei.
As well as his links to communism he was a supporter and the ANC a beneficiary of Colonel Gaddafi. Other allies included Fidel Castro and Robert Mugabe. Mandela was on Americas terrorist watch list from 1988 until 2008, 14 years after Mandela had been elected president and nine years after he had left power.
4.0 Conclusion
Many innocent South Africans of all races died as a result of apartheid and as a result of those standing against apartheid. Nelson Mandela was accountable for some of the lives lost both directly and indirectly as he had sanctioned many of the terrorist attacks while in prison. Mandela was both leader of the ANC and a follower of communist policies. He had many allies a few of which were dictators. He did bring an end to apartheid but the cost along the way cost many South Africans their lives. Mandela’s terms as president made little change other than to give blacks the right to vote. South Africa today suffers from more recorded crime and violence than ever. Mandela was both a freedom fighter and a terrorist.