Mandela In South Africa

Nelson Mandela had to forgive his country for what they did to him. He knew that forgiveness was the only way to make progress in South African society. He knew that tensions between the native people and the foreigners was very high even after he was elected. He forgave the old leaders for putting him in jail for over twenty years. This took a lot of forgiveness by him as after he became president as he did not get revenge on the people that put him in jail, but forgave them and wanted them to give him a chance and to stay in the capitol so they can work things out together.

Many democrats have achieved great accomplishments in their time as presidents, kings, prime minister, but none faced consequences for their actions.That is, except for Nelson Mandela, who was sent to jail just for asking that his rights be given to him and his fellow blacks. He spent 27 years doing hard labor but still continued to fight for his rights until he became the president of South Africa. Recently, however, he passed away at the age of ninety-five. This is just a mere reason why I chose him and also to show the influence of paper, ink and some unjust facts in the world.

The life story of Nelson Mandela has long become a legend, a story that transcends race, borders, culture, or language. He is one of the greatest leaders to ever step foot on this Earth. He was willing to give up his own personal freedoms for the good of his people. Still, his decisions at major points in his lifetime hold lessons for individuals who are inspired of becoming good leaders. Many leaders are inspired by the actions and decision-makings abilities of Mandela. He kept the interest of others before his own. This is what made Nelson Mandela a great leader, and worthy of winning a Nobel Prize. From the decisions he made, and his life experiences while fighting for human rights, one can conclude that Mandela is truly

While he achieved much, it is also evident that there were gaps he left unattended. He perpetuated the war towards freedom and alleviation of apartheid something that won him worldwide fame and recognition. Internally, he left some aspects of a democratic society he had founded unattended. This therefore raises questions. If Mandela had not steered the struggle for freedom, would South Africa have achieved it at the time it did? This leads yet to another question. Was apartheid going to end in South Africa without the involvement of nelson Mandela in the struggle against it? In light of this, we should ask our selves, did Mandela achieve his goal for the struggle all alone and does this credit him with the status of the country today? These and more questions would be significant in addressing some of the doubts of positive ideas held by many people about him world over. Overall, Mandela remains iconic for his bravery and endless effort in fighting for democracy and a free

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

In 1943 he started a law degree at Wits University and was the only black student in the class. And he was not allowed to use the sport fields, pool, cafeteria, or residences. Mandela was a poor student and became more involved in politics and helped start the ANC Youth League in 1944. In the same year, he married and needed money to support his family (Mandela, Foundation). However, the Youth League used boycott, strike and general civil disobedience with non-violent protest against the new government which instituted a racial segregation known as apartheid in

In addition, an effort for the elimination of apartheid, was when Nelson Mandela co- founded the ANCYL, the youth department for the ANC, in 1943. “For decades after South Africa’s declaration of Grand Apartheid in 1948, Mandela and his African National Congress (ANC), galvanized a massive international solidarity effort to pursue divestment and economic sanctions. ”(Nelson Mandela’s Legacy).To clarify, in 1948, Mandela and his group of the African National Congress took to action a large, international solidarity attempt to follow the divestment and economic punishments on South Africa. After the campaign for the end of apartheid, Mandela, along with others, were taken to jail and even there the white minority group felt they imposed a threat.

Mandela was unemployed for a while with no money and in order to do anything in his life he needed other people and he started training as a lawyer. As everyone saw, Nelson Mandela never gave up and kept trying to make a living with nothing and because of he never gave up, he got the job as a clerk. This job did not even supply enough for him. He was only making $1.30 a week. This obviously didn’t meet his basic needs, but he kept fighting and instead of taking a bus to work everyday twice a day, paying money, he walked miles to and from work to save money. In 1942, Mandela took one of the biggest risks an African American would probably never take. Mandela enrolled to the University of Witwatersrand knowing that he was going to be the only black guy in the law faculty. The University knew the kind of guy Mandela was, so the University opened up a new world of ideas and beliefs to him. Lots of people accepted him, but many did not. Mandela did not let that bother him and he stayed perseverent through every action taken and through every word

Mandela spent 27 years in prison and received the lowest level of treatment from prison workers because he was a black political prisoner (“Nelson Mandela, the Great”). While in prison, he suffered in an emotional way, for he was separated from his wife, Winnie Mandela. Since prison regulations were so strict, Mandela was unable to meet the two daughters he had with Winnie until the girls were teenagers (Irwin). Mandela was released from prison in 1990 when the ban against the ANC was lifted (“Nelson Mandela, the Great”). When he was released, Mandela began fighting for the collaboration of whites and blacks because “South Africa belonged to them all” (Maanga). When black Africans were allowed to vote, the ANC party won the election and Mandela

One large problem that occurred because of apartheid and was the cause of many protests was from 1961-1994, 3.5 million colored people and their families were forced out of their homes while their property was sold for very low prices to white farmers. This was just one example of events that were completely unfair to the colored population. Nelson Mandela was the person who stopped these acts from happening. In 1994, Mandela became the country’s first colored president. Instead of trying to make the people who put him into jail for 27 years suffer in consequences, he embraced them and used peace to unite everyone as equals, and not oppressing the people who had oppressed him for most of his life. Apartheid was a very rough time for anyone who lived in South Africa before Nelson Mandela and his peace helped to stop it.

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.

Imagine being systematically oppressed from the moment you exited the womb. All your civil rights, based on the amount of melanin in your skin. Drinking from the wrong water fountain, could even get you thrown into jail. Coincidently; this was the life, of black South Africans from the moment of Dutch colonization in 1652, to the first true democratic election in 1994. Apartheid, meaning “separateness” in Afrikaans; was legal segregation enforced by The National Party (NP) from 1948 to 1994. It legally imposed preexisting policies of racial discrimination on the Majority of the South African population. The entire basis of the racist policies, was the darker your complexion the less legal rights you had. Presumably this injustice, could have continued much longer if it weren’t for all involved in the fight against the NP, however the man who arguably contributed the most, was Nelson Mandela. He ended an apartheid, with both his philanthropy and political prowess. He united a nation that used to be segregated; which seemed a daunting task at the time, but through the sweat and bloodshed he achieved the impossible. This alone exhibited his heroic characteristics, but to be more precise: both his actions and inactions lead to his success. Furthermore, Mandela was both a strong leader and forgiving at the same-time. Being in the forefront of the abolishment movement, was an extremely risky move during the apartheid. He risked his life for what he believed in, and this personal

The Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, and the Great Pyramids; these are some of the most recognizable cultural icons in the world today. A cultural icon can be a symbol, logo, picture, name, face, person, building or other image that is readily recognized and generally represents an object or concept with great cultural significance to a wide cultural group (Wikipedia). Abraham Lincoln and George Washington are examples of individuals who are important cultural icons to many Americans. Another person who is considered a cultural icon is Nelson Mandela; an individual who took a stand against apartheid in South Africa and established great strides toward racial equality in that part of the world. Mandela is considered as cultural icon

Nelson Mandela was a leader in every aspect for the black people of South Africa from the minute he was born to the minute he died. While Nelson Mandela was on trial for sabotage, [a crime that he did not actually commit] he said these words that defined his legacy until the day that he died, “During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” (Denenberg 83, 85.). Nelson Mandela had to overcome many hardships and struggles in order to become the great politician and Prime Minister that he was.

I have always thought that Nelson Mandela has been one of the most important people in history. I find it very fascinating that one man could end the Apartheid and that is why I want to find out more about this. South Africa is a country with a past of enforced racism and separation of its multi-racial community. The White Europeans invaded South Africa and started a political system known as 'Apartheid' (meaning 'apartness'). This system severely restricted the rights and lifestyle of the non-White inhabitants of the country forcing them to live separately from the White Europeans. I have chosen to investigate how the Apartheid affected people’s lives, and also how and why the Apartheid system rose and fell in South Africa.