Black People and South Africa

As a result of racial segregation in both the United States and South Africa, the coloured people’s resistance escalated. In truth, this time of division strengthened nationalism – their weapon that “[transformed their] common suffering into hope for the future” (Mandela, Notes to the Future 2012, 84). Moreover, the American Jim Crow Laws and South African apartheid led to discrimination, activism, reform and most importantly reconciliation.

In the 1930’s it was rare for a black South African to attend college. But Mandela not only attended, he graduated, got a degree from law school, and set up a practice in Johannesburg which he hoped could support his small family. Yet apartheid was always a humiliation to him. When the Afrikaner, or Dutch South African, Nationalists came to power in the 1948 election, the segregation habits of the past three hundred years became law. Hoping for a brighter future, Mandela joined the African National Congress (ANC) and became its first Youth Leader.

During the period of Apartheid in South Africa between 1948 and 1994 the reactions of the South African citizens towards the legal separation of races varied depending on race, ideals and time period. After gold and diamonds were fud inSouthAfrica both the dutch and British wanted the land to themselves, leading to the Boer War from which the Dutch farmers emerged victorious. Following the Boer War and the creation of the Union of South Africa in 1910, the Dutch Boers gained control over the majority of the land in the previously British Cape Colony along with the settlements they had already built, the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. Blacks in South Africa made up about eighty percent of the population but only lived on ten percent of

The story of Invictus is based upon the life of Nelson Mandela during the time he held his Presidency of South Africa. Specifically, the movie focuses on his ideas of managing the Springboks and how the opportunity of using the country’s Rugby team unfolds as a way to bring the country together. Since The World Cup is being held in South Africa during the first year of his term, he sees The World Cup as an attempt to bring the whites and blacks together by finding pride in their home team’s victory. Mandela is successful at transforming the beliefs of South Africa through his styles of democratic leadership, transformational leadership, and interpersonal orientation leadership.

The life and work of Nelson Mandela symbolizes the conquest of the human spirit and the dedication of mankind.

The Springboks were seen as the whites’ team. The blacks hated and rooted against the Springboks, who had fourteen white players and just one black player (30 for 30). They would cheer when the opponents would beat or hurt the Springboks, because in their eyes they saw the people oppressing them being beat. However, Nelson Mandela decided to embrace the Springbok team and use them as an opportunity to bring the nation together. Mandela put on the Springbok hat at a rally in Soweto, endorsed the Springboks, and asked the black South Africans to support them too (Lodge 212). The blacks met the speech with boos, skepticism, and anger. Black South Africans hated rugby, and the Springbok logo was one directly associated with apartheid oppression (Carlin 192). Nelson Mandela was a very calculated political leader, and he understood that the black South Africans would be reluctant of accepting the Springboks. However, he also understood the impact of sports and that an entire nation rooting for their national team would bring the country together. South Africa was a very fragile nation at the time, and if things at the World Cup went wrong, it could have backfired. Mandela’s plan relied on both the whites and blacks

The documentary the 16th man tells the story of the South African rugby team winning the 1995 World Cup during a time when racial equality was a major issue. The whites were in power in the country of South Africa and judging others based simply by their skin color. According to the video blacks outnumbered whites 6 to 1, but still did not have the right to vote as the whites had complete control. Both sides were at odds with each other fueled by anger and unjustified resentment. Then when the 1995 rugby World Cup was being held in South Africa the South African team was heavy underdogs. The big news though was one of the better players on the team was a black man. This created some pride among their race and brought their attention to the games. South Africa ended up shocking the world as they won the World Cup. This was big news and had a tremendous impact on their fans. However, the biggest impact could not be measured by a trophy. The victory brought people together. Allowed people to realize there was no need for the fighting and that they were not so different after all. The 1995 South African rugby team highlights how sport can unite people, proving that social and political resolutions can be developed through sport.

Being a good leader, both protagonists must well-known their oppositions. According to Invictus, Mandela found himself in opposition South African people such as his policy and also his idea of unite two communities, White and Black. In the beginning of the movie, there are many questions and judgements have been asked by the White society. For instance, the newspaper

As expected in most movies involving Nelson Mandela, Nelson Mandela is played by Morgan freeman along with François the South African rugby team captain played by Matt Damon. In South Africa segregation was still a problem in the mid-1990s and most people associated segregation

The film ‘Invictus,’ directed by Clint Eastwood identifies the theme of overcoming adversity. Following the fall of apartheid, Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman), the newly elected president is faced with adversity within the economically and racially divided South Africa which shocked him after his release. Mandela had a sentence for 27 years of prison which was declared by the white afrikaners, he overcame the adversity of this situation by believing that he was more superior and powerful, “Restore their name, their emblem, their colours immediately. Let me tell you why, on

    Nelson Mandela unified South Africa by using sports and the Truth Reconciliation Committee. Through sports like rugby, Mandela brought South Africa together. Rugby was mainly seen as a white game. Even today, it attracts mainly white supporters, and most of the players are white.  In 1995, there were still fears about the policies the government would adopt in regards to the treatment of white people. Mandela showed white South Africans that there was no cause for worry and that they would be included in the new South Africa. The Springboks (the name of the national rugby team) were hated by the blacks, he used this opportunity to unify the blacks and whites. At a rally he put on a Springboks hat, he supported the team every step of the way and encouraged South Africans of all races to get behind the Springboks (Bartleby.com). The Rugby World Cup was held in South Africa in 1955 and South Africa won so the whole country

In his presciently the ANC helped “restorative justice, in which both victims and perpetrators of human rights abuses” (Nelson Mandela par. 21). He continues on healing the wounds that segregation caused throughout his whole life. There was actually an example of this in a rugby world cup at Johannesburg stadium. This huge event was the “return to international sports” because of the years of racism and whites being the only ones to play the game (Nelson Mandela par. 22). Some blacks said that there team became so “emblem of white privilege” that not a lot of people supported (Nelson Mandela par. 22). But Mandela knew that in order to grow we need not forget but let the horrible past go. He let the team keep the name, even as well wear the

Nelson Mandela was the man who abolished Apartheid, freeing South Africa from the binds of racial segregation forever. However, it was not an easy road and Mandela needed patience, strength of character, focus, passion, understanding, perseverance, and most importantly, forgiveness, to achieve this. For more than forty years, black South Africans were subject to the harsh racial segregation of the Apartheid system; despite making up over 70% of South Africa’s population, they had little to no rights.

South African heritage and culture is immensely diverse, and consists of many different groups of people who each have their own traditions and beliefs. Having such a diversity of people and cultures is what makes South Africa so unique. In the true sense of the phrase, we are a rainbow nation.

     Nelson is an individual who fought through many hardships, but was also faced with decisions that affected his future, his family, and his livelihood. As we look at Nelson deeper, we can see many interesting points. He was opened to new ideas and beliefs through his experiences in the schools of Heraldtown and Fort Hare, but knew there was something better. He decided to travel to Johannesburg to find new and greater opportunities. While, in Johannesburg, he believed education would be a key asset. While working for a small firm, he took classes at University of South Africa and eventually Wits University. Here is where his mind and social life flourished. He interacted with great minds and influential political individuals. He talked to many Africans without proper education, who contained more knowledge and better social skills than many Africans with education. But, he still persisted in acquiring his B.A. Wits University brought his life to new extents. He was also talking to Indians, Coloureds, and whites for the first time in his life and Becoming friends with many more prominent African individuals. Nelson soon joined the ANC and became very prominent in the fight for freedom. Nelson was always open to listening to new ideas, but when his was just starting his fight. He believed that just Africans