THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT OF SOUTH AFRICA

Some people would say that Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is the most well known person from South Africa. Not only because he served as President there, but also because he was the first president to be elected in fully representative democratic election. In the time before his presidency, he was an anti-apartheid activist and the leader of the African National Congress (ANC). He had, in one way, dedicated his life to end all racial segregation, especially Apartheid.

Many people associate Nelson and the Robben Island, but jet few knows why. Actually, he was a prisoner there from 1962 to 1990, which is as long as twenty-seven years. He was arrested after living on the run for seventeen months, all because of sabotage and other charges. Four years after his release, Nelson led his party into multi-racial democracy, which is what Mandela stand up for. He used all his power to fight poverty and inequality.

 Although he was brought in prison for a long time, chased and in a way abused of Apartheid – he would never aim to harm a human being. Not even someone who hurt him. Nelson once wrote in his autobiography "even as a boy, I always defeated my opponents without dishonoring them".

 Nelson did things because they needed to be done, never for the publicity. Here is a story where this is described quite well: As soon as he had comforted a 12-year-old girls family, after she "accidentally" was shot by a white farmer. He took his helicopter down to a dying girl suffering from leukemia, whose dream was to meet him. It's amazing that a politic person could do such a thing, without even letting the publicity know. I doubt that a politician in Norway could have taken as much as two seconds off from their tight schedules. Nelson also listened to everyone’s complaints and problems, witch resulted in helping a very important case, that these persons felt worthy.

Written by Maja Lutterloh.