Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
Rolihlahla Mandela was born on 18 July 1918. He was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and politician who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the first black South African to hold the office. His government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid through tackling institutional racism, poverty, inequality, while fostering racial reconciliation.
Mandela was Xhosa born to the Thembu royal family, and attended Fort Hare University and the University of Witwatersrand, where he studied law. Mandela got the first name of Nelson when he was in primary school.
"No one in my family had ever attended school...On the first day of school my teacher, Miss Mdingane, gave each of us an English name. This was custom among Africans in those days and was undoubtedly due to the British bias of our education. That day, Miss Mdingane told me that my new name was Nelson. Why this particular name I have no idea." -Mandela, 1994
Living in Johannesburg, he became involved in anti-colonial politics, joining the ANC (African National Congress) and became a founding member of its Youth League. In 1948, the Afrikaner nationalist party (the National Party) came into power and began implementing the policies of Apartheid.
In 1962, Mandela was arrested, convicted of sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government and sentenced to life imprisonment.
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| Robben Island [located off of Cape Town-- you can see Table Mountain in the background] |
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| The poem Mandela memorized and claimed to be his inspiration while he was in prison |
Mandela served 27 years in prison, with most of those years being served on Robben Island (off of Cape Town). An international campaign lobbied for his release, which was granted in 1990. After becoming President of the ANC, Mandela published his autobiography and led negations with President F.W. de Klerk to abolish Apartheid and establish multi-racial elections in 1994, which he led to an ANC victory.
Mandela was elected President of the Republic of South Africa and formed a government of national unity. As President, he established a new constitution and initiated the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate past human rights abuses, while introducing policies to encourage land reform, combat poverty, and expand healthcare services.
Controversially, Mandela oversaw the formation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate crime committed under Apartheid by both the government and the ANC. He appointed Desmond Tutu as its chair. To prevent the creation of martyrs, the Commission granted individual amnesties in exchange for testimony of crimes committed during the Apartheid era. Dedicated in February 1996, it held two years of hearings detailing rapes, tortures, bombings, and assassinations, before its final report in October 1998.
Mandela lived simply, donating a third of his R552,000 annual income to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, which he founded in 1995. Presiding over the transition from Apartheid minority rule to a multicultural democracy, Mandela saw national reconciliation as the primary task of his presidency. Having seen other post-colonial African economies damaged by the departure of white elites, Mandela worked to reassure South Africa's white population that they were protected and represented in the "Rainbow nation".
Mandela encouraged black South Africans to get behind the previously hated national rugby team, the Springboks (movie: Invictus), as South Africa hosted the 1995 Rugby World Cup. After the Springboks won an epic final over New Zealand, Mandela presented the trophy to captain Francois Pienaar, an Afrikaner, wearing a Springbok shirt with Pienaar's number 6 on the back. This was widely seen as a major step in the reconciliation of white and black South Africans. As de Klerk later put it, "Mandela won the hearts of millions of white rugby fans". Mandela's efforts at reconciliation assuaged the fears of whites, but drew criticism from more militant blacks.
Mandela has received international acclaim for his anti-colonial and anti-Apartheid stance, having received over 250 awards, including the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize, the US Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Soviet Order of Lenin. He is held in deep respect within South Africa and has been described as the "father of the nation". He is often referred to as Tata Madiba, which is his Xhosa clan name.
Mandela's 90th birthday was marked across the country on 18 July 2008, with the main celebrations held in Qunu. In his speech, Mandela called for the rich to help the poor across the world.
Needless to say, Nelson Mandela is a spectacular human being. He exhibits what it means to be compassionate, open, and humble. For someone to come out of jail after nearly 30 years and preach reconciliation is a testamant to the kind of man Mandela was.
Desmond Mpilo Tutu
Desmond Tutu was born 7 October 1931 and is a South African social rights activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of Apartheid. He was the first black South AFrican Archbishop of Cape Town and Primate of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa.
Tutu has been active in the defense of human rights and uses his high profile to campaign for the oppressed. He has campaigned to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, poverty, racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism (1986), the Pacem in Terris Award (1987), Sydney Peace Prize (1999), the Ghandi Peace Prize (2007), and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2009). He has also compiled several books of his speeches and sayings.
Although Tutu wanted to become a doctor, his family could not afford the training, and he followed in his father's footsteps into teaching. Tutu studied in Pretoria and Johannesburg. However, he resigned from teaching following the passage of the Bantu Education Act, in protest of the poor educational prospects for black South Africans. Tutu then returned to his studies, this time focusing in theology. On 2 July 1955, Tutu married Nomalizo Leah Shenxane, a teacher whom he had met while in college. They had four children: Trevor Thamsanqa Tutu, Theresa Thandeka Tutu, Naomi Nontombi Tutu, and Mpho Andrea Tutu. In 1960, he was ordained as an Anglican priest.
During Apartheid, Tutu supported an economic boycott of his country. He vigorously opposed the "constructive engagement" policy of the Reagan administration, which advocated "friendly persuasion". Tutu supported disinvestment, although it hit the poor hardest. When disinvestment threw blacks out of work, Tutu argued, at least they were suffering "with a purpose". In 1985, the US & UK stopped any investments in South Africa. As a result, disinvestment succeeded causing the value of the Rand to plunge more than 35%, which pressured the government towards reform. Tutu pressed the advantage and organized peaceful marches which brought 30,000 people into the streets of Cape Town.
Tutu was Bishop of Lesotho from 1976-1978, when he became Secretary-General of the South African Council of Churches. From this position, he was able to continue his work against Apartheid with agreement from nearly all churches. Through his writings and lectures at home and abroad, Tutu consistently advocated reconciliation between all parties involved in Apartheid.
Tutu's opposition to Apartheid was vigorous and unequivocal, and he was outspoken both in South Africa and abroad. He often compared Apartheid to Nazism and Communism. As a result the government twice revoked his passport and he was jailed briefly in 1980.
After the fall of Apartheid, Tutu headed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. He retired as Archbishop of Cape Town in 1996, and was made Emeritus Archbishop of Cape Town (an honorary title that is unusual in the Anglican church).
Since his retirement, Tutu has worked as a global activist on issues pertaining to democracy, freedom, and human rights. In 2006, Tutu launched a global campaign to ensure that all children are registered at birth (as unregistered children do not officially exist and are vulnerable to traffickers during disasters).
Tutu is regarded as "South Africa's moral conscience", and has been described by Mandela as, "sometimes strident, often tender, never afraid, and seldom without humor. Desmond Tutu's voice will always be the voice of the voiceless".
Since retirement, Tutu has worked to critique the new South African government. Tutu has been vocal in his condemnation of corruption and the ineffectiveness of the ANC-led government to deal with poverty or the recent outbreaks of xenophobic violence in some South African townships.
Tutu has also been vocal in his criticism of human rights abuses in Zimbabwe, as well as South Africa's policy of "quiet diplomacy" towards Zimbabwe. In 2007, he said the "quiet diplomacy" had not worked at all and called upon Western powers and other Southern African countries to set firm deadlines for action, with consequences if they were not met. Tutu has often criticized Mugabe and has described the autocratic leader as, "a cartoon figure of an archetypical African dictator" [Mugabe has called Tutu an "angry, evil, and embittered little bishop"]. In 2008, tutu called for the international community to intervene in Zimbabwe- by force if necessary.
It is clear why Desmond Tutu is regarded as one of the most important men in South Africa. His work against Apartheid and in the reconciliation of the country has helped lead South Africa to where it is today.
Mandela's 90th birthday was marked across the country on 18 July 2008, with the main celebrations held in Qunu. In his speech, Mandela called for the rich to help the poor across the world.
Needless to say, Nelson Mandela is a spectacular human being. He exhibits what it means to be compassionate, open, and humble. For someone to come out of jail after nearly 30 years and preach reconciliation is a testamant to the kind of man Mandela was.
Desmond Mpilo Tutu
Desmond Tutu was born 7 October 1931 and is a South African social rights activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of Apartheid. He was the first black South AFrican Archbishop of Cape Town and Primate of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa.
Tutu has been active in the defense of human rights and uses his high profile to campaign for the oppressed. He has campaigned to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, poverty, racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism (1986), the Pacem in Terris Award (1987), Sydney Peace Prize (1999), the Ghandi Peace Prize (2007), and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2009). He has also compiled several books of his speeches and sayings.
Although Tutu wanted to become a doctor, his family could not afford the training, and he followed in his father's footsteps into teaching. Tutu studied in Pretoria and Johannesburg. However, he resigned from teaching following the passage of the Bantu Education Act, in protest of the poor educational prospects for black South Africans. Tutu then returned to his studies, this time focusing in theology. On 2 July 1955, Tutu married Nomalizo Leah Shenxane, a teacher whom he had met while in college. They had four children: Trevor Thamsanqa Tutu, Theresa Thandeka Tutu, Naomi Nontombi Tutu, and Mpho Andrea Tutu. In 1960, he was ordained as an Anglican priest.
During Apartheid, Tutu supported an economic boycott of his country. He vigorously opposed the "constructive engagement" policy of the Reagan administration, which advocated "friendly persuasion". Tutu supported disinvestment, although it hit the poor hardest. When disinvestment threw blacks out of work, Tutu argued, at least they were suffering "with a purpose". In 1985, the US & UK stopped any investments in South Africa. As a result, disinvestment succeeded causing the value of the Rand to plunge more than 35%, which pressured the government towards reform. Tutu pressed the advantage and organized peaceful marches which brought 30,000 people into the streets of Cape Town.
Tutu was Bishop of Lesotho from 1976-1978, when he became Secretary-General of the South African Council of Churches. From this position, he was able to continue his work against Apartheid with agreement from nearly all churches. Through his writings and lectures at home and abroad, Tutu consistently advocated reconciliation between all parties involved in Apartheid.
Tutu's opposition to Apartheid was vigorous and unequivocal, and he was outspoken both in South Africa and abroad. He often compared Apartheid to Nazism and Communism. As a result the government twice revoked his passport and he was jailed briefly in 1980.
After the fall of Apartheid, Tutu headed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. He retired as Archbishop of Cape Town in 1996, and was made Emeritus Archbishop of Cape Town (an honorary title that is unusual in the Anglican church).
Since his retirement, Tutu has worked as a global activist on issues pertaining to democracy, freedom, and human rights. In 2006, Tutu launched a global campaign to ensure that all children are registered at birth (as unregistered children do not officially exist and are vulnerable to traffickers during disasters).
Tutu is regarded as "South Africa's moral conscience", and has been described by Mandela as, "sometimes strident, often tender, never afraid, and seldom without humor. Desmond Tutu's voice will always be the voice of the voiceless".
Since retirement, Tutu has worked to critique the new South African government. Tutu has been vocal in his condemnation of corruption and the ineffectiveness of the ANC-led government to deal with poverty or the recent outbreaks of xenophobic violence in some South African townships.
Tutu has also been vocal in his criticism of human rights abuses in Zimbabwe, as well as South Africa's policy of "quiet diplomacy" towards Zimbabwe. In 2007, he said the "quiet diplomacy" had not worked at all and called upon Western powers and other Southern African countries to set firm deadlines for action, with consequences if they were not met. Tutu has often criticized Mugabe and has described the autocratic leader as, "a cartoon figure of an archetypical African dictator" [Mugabe has called Tutu an "angry, evil, and embittered little bishop"]. In 2008, tutu called for the international community to intervene in Zimbabwe- by force if necessary.
It is clear why Desmond Tutu is regarded as one of the most important men in South Africa. His work against Apartheid and in the reconciliation of the country has helped lead South Africa to where it is today.
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