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Leadership
The world at many points in its history has produced some jewels which have shined
brighter than many in their generation and whose visions, beliefs, ideologies and lessons
have been guiding mankind ever since. These jewels of humanity are the leaders who were
born with the exceptional ability to inspire, lead, motivate and influence generations of
people. Each great leader possessed a unique quality that set him apart from the rest be it
their ideology or their method. They had the power to lead masses, bring out emotions, and
begin a new era in the history of mankind.
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa on July 18, 1918. His
father was Chief Henry Mandela of the Tembu Tribe. Mandela himself was educated at
University College of Fort Hare and the University of Witwatersrand and qualified in law
in 1942. He joined the African National Congress in 1944 and was engaged in resistance
against the ruling National Party's apartheid policies after 1948. He went on trial for
treason in 1956-1961 and was acquitted in 1961.
After the banning of the ANC in 1960, Nelson Mandela argued for the setting up of a
military wing within the ANC. In June 1961, the ANC executive considered his proposal
on the use of violent tactics and agreed that those members who wished to involve
themselves in Mandela's campaign would not be stopped from doing so by the ANC. This
led to the formation of Umkhonto we Sizwe. Mandela was arrested in 1962 and sentenced
to five years' imprisonment with hard labor. In 1963, when many fellow leaders of the
ANC and the Umkhonto we Sizwe were arrested, Mandela was brought to stand trial with
them for plotting to overthrow the government by violence. His statement from the dock
received considerable international publicity. On June 12, 1964, eight of the accused,
including Mandela, were sentenced to life imprisonment. From 1964 to 1982, he was
incarcerated at Robben Island Prison, off Cape Town; thereafter, he was at Pollsmoor
Prison, nearby on the mainland.
During his years in prison, Nelson Mandela's reputation grew steadily. He was widely
accepted as the most significant black leader in South Africa and became a potent symbol
of resistance as the anti-apartheid movement gathered strength. He consistently refused to
compromise his political position to obtain his freedom.
Nelson Mandela was released on February 11, 1990. After his release, he plunged himself
wholeheartedly into his life's work, striving to attain the goals he and others had set out
