ONLINE TASK 3
Nelson
Mandela
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 became involved in politics in 1944. He was
against the ruling National Party's apartheid policies after
1948 (Apartheid was a system of racial segregation enforced through legislation
by the National Party governments, who were the
ruling party from 1948 to 1994, of South Africa,
under which the rights of the majority black inhabitants of South Africa were
curtailed and white supremacy and Afrikaner minority rule
was maintained). During the ruling of National Party, many innocent people were
killed or tortured. Many residential areas were segregated and many people were
removed with force. Nelson Mandela resisted against the NP but he was charged for
treason and Mandela was arrested in 1962 and sentenced to five years' imprisonment
with hard labour. 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. Nelson Mandela never once
bowed down to the NP. He stood tall and faced his adversity with all the strength
he could muster. During his years in prison, Nelson Mandela's reputation grew gradually.
He was widely accepted as the most significant black leader in South Africa and
became an important symbol of resistance as the anti-apartheid movement
gathered strength in Africa. He consistently refused to compromise his
political position to obtain his freedom. He believed in truth and justice.
Nelson Mandela was released on February 11, 1990. After his release, he plunged himself wholeheartedly into his life's work, determined to attain the goals he and others had set out almost four decades earlier. His tireless efforts paid off finally when he was elected as the President of South Africa in 1994 and he put the end to the apartheid. His dedication and determination to free his people did not go unnoticed, in 1993, Nelson Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
POEM
Freedom
Fighter,Nelson Mandela was released on February 11, 1990. After his release, he plunged himself wholeheartedly into his life's work, determined to attain the goals he and others had set out almost four decades earlier. His tireless efforts paid off finally when he was elected as the President of South Africa in 1994 and he put the end to the apartheid. His dedication and determination to free his people did not go unnoticed, in 1993, Nelson Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
POEM
Freedom
Fighter,
The name
that befits you,
You stood
tall in the eyes of adversity,
Your strength
never waived in the presence of the enemy,
You seek
justices; but wrongly accused,
Traitor
was the name given to you,
Yet, you
smiled without fear,
You had
faith,
Even when
all hope seemed lost,
Your courage
was your aura,
Your
spoke; but none for yourself,
You were
the beacon of hope for many,
Yet you
never shone with arrogance,
Your tireless
efforts were paid off,
When you
stood in the eyes of the world,
You bestowed
the greatest gift to your people,
FREEDOM!
FREEDOM! FREEDOM!
Your
faith did not desert you,
You are
the greatest man,
South Africa will ever know,
You are,
none other than,
NELSON
MANDELA.
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