Chief among African leaders, Nelson Mandela is one of few statesmen to

have achieved almost universal respect around the world and across the
political spectrum.

Imprisoned for 27 years for his opposition to apartheid, Mandela came out of
prison in 1990 expressing no bitterness towards his tormentors. Instead, he
championed reconciliation among South Africa’s polarised races, espousing
the principles of nation-building and co-operative governance.

Mandela was one of the few leaders capable of inspiring confidence both
inside and outside the country. Few others would have managed to unite the
disparate warring parties and steer South Africa from what seemed to be the
brink of civil war.

Mandela as president

As South Africa’s first democratically elected president in 1994, Mandela

tackled the challenge of uniting both the country’s racial groupings and a
fragmented public service whose delivery mandate was skewed in favour of
the white population.

A significant milestone of his presidency was the exemplary constitution-

making process, which delivered a document that is the envy of the
democratic world.

Mandela’s inauguration as president brought together the largest number of

heads of state since the funeral of former US President John Kennedy in
1963.
Together with Sisulu and Tambo, Mandela participated in the founding of
the African National Congress Youth League in 1944.

The Youth League invigorated the ANC. Its Programme of Action was
adopted by the ANC in 1949, and it provided much of the impetus that led to
mass protests and later, the formation of the ANC’s armed wing, Umkhonto
weSizwe.

In 1948 Mandela served as the Youth League’s national secretary, and in

1950 became its national president. He became one of four deputy presidents
of the ANC in October 1952.

Mandela is equally known for taking a strong stand against the giant world
powers – especially in defence of Africa. As president, he was unrestrained
in embracing the ANC’s former allies, such as Libya’s Muammar Gadaffi
and Palestinian Liberation Organisation leader Yasser Arafat, in spite of
criticism from the United States.

His position also made for fluid relationships with Russia and China, former
communist allies of the ANC.

Mandela led the ANC in negotiations with the South African government
which culminated in the adoption of the interim constitution in November
1993. In 1994 the ANC won the country’s first multiracial elections with an
overwhelming majority.

After handing over the reigns of the presidency to Thabo Mbeki in 1999,
Mandela played a key role as middleman in crisis-hit areas such as Burundi
and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Besides campaigning globally for peace, Mandela focused his still
prodigious energies increasingly on empowering disadvantaged children and
fighting against HIV/Aids.

In June 2004, Mandela officially retired from public life. His parting gift – a
R1-billion endowment to South Africa, to be raised by the three charitable
organisations that bear his name: the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the
Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and the Nelson Mandela Rhodes
Foundation.