Nelson Mandela walked out of prison twenty years ago on February 11th 1990, as a free man, but also as a leader. Today he is one of the finest leaders on this earth. After his release from prison, the course of South African history changed forever.
South Africa was to become independent and Apartheid was to meet his fate just like the Nazis.
Mandela was a political prisoner in South Africa for 27 years.
Straight after his release Mandela addressed thousands of supporters from the balcony of the Cape Town city hall. He will spend his first night of freedom at Bishopscourt, the official residence of the Archbishop of Cape Town, who at that time was Desmond Tutu.
Through dialogue and negotiations between the sitting president De Klerk and ANC as well as other leaders, Apartheid laws were dismantled over the next three years. Nelson Mandela’s party ANC won the first South Africa’s democratic election, held in 1994. Nelson Mandela became president of South Africa.
Mandela and De Klerk received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. The Nobel Committee awarded their prestigious honour to De Klerk and Mandela “for their work for the peaceful termination of the Apartheid regime and for laying the foundations for a new democratic South Africa”
The ANC won the general election held on June 2nd 1999 and increased its majority. Despite the party’s victory, Nelson Mandela will only serve one term as the President of South Africa and bows out of politics. He decided to step down as the president of South Africa and return and settle at his birthplace Transkei. However, the need for his wisdom nationally and internationally kept him around longer than he wished for.
“I really wanted to retire and rest and spend more time with my children, my grandchildren and of course with my wife,” Mandela later said. “But the problems are such that for anybody with a conscience who can use whatever influence he may have to try to bring about peace, it’s difficult to say no.”
The Soul Rebel Movement salutes your greatness, Mr. Nelson Mandela.
On this 20th anniversary we celebrate Freedom with you!