How old is mandela of south africa

The subsequent welcome rallies held in Soweto and Durban drew thousands of people. The ANC had announced their intention to move its headquarters from Lusaka to Johannesburg as soon as possible. He then travelled to Sweden to meet his comrade and friend, the incumbent ANC president Oliver Tambo, but had to cut short the rest of his proposed trip abroad as a result of increased unrest in South Africa.

Adding to the chaos of this time, the apartheid government gave emergency powers to the President, allowing de Klerk to govern in a state of emergency. Later in March, police opened fire on anti-apartheid protesters in Sebokeng, killing 14 people and wounding more than At the end of the meeting a document known as the Groote Schuur Minute was signed. This signified a commitment from both the ANC and the government to end the political violence which had gripped the country.

Furthermore, a working party was formed, including ANC cadres, to advise on the release of political prisoners.

His reception by heads of state and hundreds of thousands of admirers confirmed his stature as an internationally respected leader.

Talks resumed with the South African government in August and in the same month Mandela visited Norway. This was followed by visits to Zambia, India and Australia.

However, despite their pledges to work towards peace, the violence continued. Mandela then issued an ultimatum to the government, setting a deadline by which it had to fire the Minister of Defence and Minister of Law and Order and end the ongoing violence. He indicated that the ANC would quit the negotiation process if these demands were not met.

The government failed to meet these demands. Image source. The two parties had previously been split on ideological issues regarding the role of non-Africans in the struggle for freedom. The meeting also agreed to convene a conference of anti-apartheid organisations in support of the demand for a national constituent assembly.

In August, Mandela travelled to countries in South America. This agreement between a number of political organisations, including the ANC, Inkatha Freedom Party and the National Party , established structures and procedures to attempt to end political violence which had become widespread. In October , a meeting of the Patriotic Front was held in Durban in an attempt to bring together all the anti-apartheid groupings in the country.

However, the PAC could not see its way clear to participate in the convention due to its belief that the convention should be held outside the country under the stewardship of a neutral party.

The first meeting of Codesa, set up to negotiate procedures for constitutional change, was held in December At the end of the plenary session, after De Klerk had raised the question of disbanding Umkhonto we Sizwe , Mandela delivered a scathing personal attack on him.

Mandela argued that even the head of an illegitimate and discredited minority regime should have certain moral standards. During , Mandela continued his programme of extensive international travel, visiting Tunisia, Libya and Morocco. On 13 April , Mandela called a press conference at which he announced that he and his wife, Winnie , had agreed to separate as a result of differences which had arisen between them in recent months.

Permission: Africamediaonline. In May , the second plenary meeting of Codesa was held, but the working group dealing with constitutional arrangements reached a deadlock when the ANC and the government could not reach agreement on certain constitutional principles.

Codesa's management committee was asked to find a way out of the logjam but by 16 June by then known as Soweto Day no progress had been made and the ANC called for a mass action campaign to put pressure on the South African government. While visiting the Scandinavian countries and Czechoslovakia in May, Mandela suggested that FW de Klerk was personally responsible for the political violence in South Africa.

Mandela also criticised what he felt was the stranglehold imposed on the South African press, which represented White-owned conglomerates; however, he expressed support for a critical, independent and investigative press. Mandela asked the UN to provide continuous monitoring of the violence and submitted documents, which he claimed, proved the 'criminal intent' of the government, both in the instigation of violence and in failing to curb it.

He maintained that the government was conducting a 'cold-hearted strategy of state terror to impose its will on negotiations'. On his return to South Africa, Mandela called for disciplined and peaceful protest and involved himself in the ANC's mass action campaign. Following violent incidents between ANC supporters in the Transvaal, Mandela admitted that the organisation had disciplinary problems with some of its followers, particularly in township Self-Defence Units and promised to take action against those who abused their positions of power and authority.

Mandela indicated in September that he was prepared to meet De Klerk on condition that he agreed to fence off township hostels, ban the public display of dangerous weapons and release political prisoners. They met at the end of the month and these bi-lateral talks resulted in the signing of a Record of Understanding between the two leaders, thereby enabling negotiations to resume.

During and Mandela repeatedly called for peace. At a rally in Soweto's Jabulani Stadium he was booed by a militant crowd when he tried to convey a message of peace in the wake of the killing.

Mandela caused a political row in May when he suggested that South Africa's voting age should be lowered to enable 14 year old children to vote. However, he was persuaded to accept that only people aged 18 and above could vote in the April elections.

In September , after the election date had been set for April , Mandela used a visit to the United States of America to urge world business leaders to lift economic sanctions and invest in South Africa. During the latter half of and early he campaigned on behalf of the ANC for the election and addressed a large number of rallies and people's forums. At the same time, he continued his efforts to draw the Freedom Alliance partners White right wing groups, IFP, Bophuthatswana and Ciskei Bantustan governments into the election process.

However, he ruled out the possibility of delaying the election date to accommodate them. In March , following a civil uprising in the homeland of Bophuthatswana, which led to the downfall of the Mangope government, Mandela guaranteed striking civil servants their jobs, but harshly criticised the looting that had occurred during the unrest. The meeting was unsuccessful and was followed by an attempt at international mediation.

This, too, failed, but a final effort by Kenyan academic, Washington Okumu, brought the IFP back into the election process. Mandela and De Klerk then signed an agreement stating that the institution, status and role of the King of the Zulus, as well as the Kingdom of KwaZulu, be recognised and protected.

Mandela contested the April election as the head of the ANC. He cast his vote in Inanda, Durban, on the first day of voting on 27 April Mandela indicated his relief that the ANC did not achieve a two-thirds majority, as this would allay fears that it would unilaterally re-write the constitution.

He restated his commitment to a government of national unity wherein each party shared in the exercise of power. Nelson Mandela casts his vote for the first time in April Photographer: Paul Weinberg, Permission: Africamediaonline.

On 9 May, Mandela was elected unopposed as president of South Africa in the first session of the Constituent Assembly. His presidential inauguration took place the next day at the Union Buildings in Pretoria and was attended by the largest gathering of international leaders in South African history, as well as about jubilant supporters on the lawns. The ceremony was televised and broadcast internationally.

In his inaugural speech Mandela called for a 'time of healing' and stated that his government would fight against discrimination of any kind. He pledged to enter into a covenant to build a society in which all South Africans, Black and White, could walk tall without fear, assured of their rights to human dignity, 'a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world'.

This policy focused on basic needs such as jobs, land, housing, water, electricity, telecommunications and transport, among others. Furthermore, this policy emphasised that the people should be part of the decision making process.

His pragmatic economic policy was welcomed by business in general. Mandela continued to draw the White right wing into the negotiation process and in May, held a breakthrough meeting with the leader of the Conservative Party CP , Ferdie Hartzenberg. Negotiations also involved a possible meeting with Eugene Terre Blanche , leader of the right wing Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging AWB , but it did not transpire.

The following month he held talks with his Angolan, Mozambican and Zairean counterparts in an attempt to further peace-making efforts in Angola. Mandela underwent eye surgery for a cataract in July. The operation was complicated by the fact that his tear glands had been damaged by the alkalinity of the stone at Robben Island where he had done hard labour breaking rocks.

In September , Mandela made a crucial speech at the annual conference of the Congress of South African Trade Unions Cosatu where he called on the labour movement to transform itself from a liberation movement to one that would assist in the building of a new South Africa. The government of national unity nearly collapsed in January over an alleged secret attempt by two former cabinet ministers and 3 police to obtain indemnity on the eve of the April elections.

At a cabinet meeting on 18 January, Mandela attacked Deputy President De Klerk, stating that he did not believe De Klerk was unaware of the indemnity applications. He went on to question De Klerk's commitment to reconciliation. At a press conference on 20 January, De Klerk maintained that this attack on his integrity and good faith could seriously jeopardise the future of the government of national unity.

In April , Mandela removed his estranged wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, as Deputy Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, following a series of controversial issues in which she was involved.

She challenged her dismissal in the Supreme Court, claiming that it was unconstitutional. She obtained an affidavit from IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi to the effect that he had not, as a leader of a party in the government of national unity, been consulted about her dismissal. This was a constitutional requirement. Winnie Mandela was then briefly reinstated before being dismissed again, Mandela having consulted with all party leaders involved in the government.

Mandela and Madikizela-Mandela would divorce in due to political differences and the tension which she was causing within the ANC.

In May , following a dispute between the IFP and the ANC regarding international mediation for the new constitution, Buthelezi called on Zulus to 'rise and resist' any imposed constitutional dispensation. Mandela accused Buthelezi of encouraging violence and attempting to foment an uprising against central government. In this context, Mandela threatened to cut off central government funding to KwaZulu-Natal, indicating that he would not allow public funds to be used to finance an attempt to overthrow the constitution by violent means.

South Africa had recently been allowed to compete in international events after the dissolution of apartheid. Mandela saw this tournament as an opportunity to unite the country and diffuse the racial tensions which had built up before the elections.

The South African national rugby team nicknamed the Springboks won the tournament, and in an iconic moment, Mandela presented the trophy to the captain of the team, Francois Pienaar, while wearing a Springbok jersey. On his eightieth birthday on 18 July , he married his third wife, Graca Machel.

Machel, at the time, was the widow of Mozambican president, Samora Machel. Retirement from political life. Mandela retired from active political life in June after his first term of office as president.

Mandela continued to play an active role in mediating conflicts around the world. For instance, in he was appointed mediator in the war-torn, Burundi, a mission he accomplished with aplomb. President Mandela retired from active political life in June In , he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

He devoted a large amount of his time to raising funds for the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund. This concert would be the first of six international concerts of the same name that took place between and Evelyn Mase passed away on 4 April, and Mandela cut short his overseas trip to attend her funeral. On 10 May , Mandela addressed a joint-sitting of parliament in celebrating a decade of democracy in which he acknowledged the extraordinary position he was in, being allowed to address Parliament despite not being an MP or sitting leader.

In , Mandela was brought to trial again. This time, he and 10 other ANC leaders were sentenced to life imprisonment for political offenses, including sabotage. Mandela spent 27 years in prison, from November until February He was incarcerated on Robben Island for 18 of his 27 years in prison. During this time, he contracted tuberculosis and, as a Black political prisoner, received the lowest level of treatment from prison workers.

However, while incarcerated, Mandela was able to earn a Bachelor of Law degree through a University of London correspondence program. A memoir by South African intelligence agent Gordon Winter described a plot by the South African government to arrange for Mandela's escape so as to shoot him during the recapture; the plot was foiled by British intelligence.

Mandela continued to be such a potent symbol of Black resistance that a coordinated international campaign for his release was launched, and this international groundswell of support exemplified the power and esteem that Mandela had in the global political community. In , President P. Botha offered Mandela's release in exchange for renouncing armed struggle; the prisoner flatly rejected the offer. With increasing local and international pressure for his release, the government participated in several talks with Mandela over the ensuing years, but no deal was made.

It wasn't until Botha suffered a stroke and was replaced by Frederik Willem de Klerk that Mandela's release was finally announced, on February 11, De Klerk also lifted the ban on the ANC, removed restrictions on political groups and suspended executions.

Upon his release from prison, Mandela immediately urged foreign powers not to reduce their pressure on the South African government for constitutional reform. While he stated that he was committed to working toward peace, he declared that the ANC's armed struggle would continue until the Black majority received the right to vote.

In , Mandela was elected president of the African National Congress, with lifelong friend and colleague Oliver Tambo serving as national chairperson. White South Africans were willing to share power, but many Black South Africans wanted a complete transfer of power. The negotiations were often strained, and news of violent eruptions, including the assassination of ANC leader Chris Hani, continued throughout the country. Mandela had to keep a delicate balance of political pressure and intense negotiations amid the demonstrations and armed resistance.

Due in no small part to the work of Mandela and President de Klerk, negotiations between Black and white South Africans prevailed: On April 27, , South Africa held its first democratic elections. Mandela was inaugurated as the country's first Black president on May 10, , at the age of 77, with de Klerk as his first deputy. From until June , President Mandela worked to bring about the transition from minority rule and apartheid to Black majority rule.

He used the nation's enthusiasm for sports as a pivot point to promote reconciliation between white and Black people, encouraging Black South Africans to support the once-hated national rugby team. In , South Africa came to the world stage by hosting the Rugby World Cup, which brought further recognition and prestige to the young republic.

That year Mandela was also awarded the Order of Merit. During his presidency, Mandela also worked to protect South Africa's economy from collapse. Through his Reconstruction and Development Plan, the South African government funded the creation of jobs, housing and basic health care.

In , Mandela signed into law a new constitution for the nation, establishing a strong central government based on majority rule, and guaranteeing both the rights of minorities and the freedom of expression.

By the general election, Mandela had retired from active politics. He continued to maintain a busy schedule, however, raising money to build schools and clinics in South Africa's rural heartland through his foundation, and serving as a mediator in Burundi's civil war.

Mandela was diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer in In June , at the age of 85, he announced his formal retirement from public life and returned to his native village of Qunu. On July 18, , Mandela and wife Graca Machel co-founded The Elders , a group of world leaders aiming to work both publicly and privately to find solutions to some of the world's toughest issues. The Elders' impact has spanned Asia, the Middle East and Africa, and their actions have included promoting peace and women's equality, demanding an end to atrocities, and supporting initiatives to address humanitarian crises and promote democracy.

In addition to advocating for peace and equality on both a national and global scale, in his later years, Mandela remained committed to the fight against AIDS. His son Makgatho died of the disease in In de Klerk shared a Nobel Peace Prize with Mandela, who would win the presidency the following year in the first multi-racial elections in Africa's biggest economy.

After the vote, the National Party shared power in a "Government of National Unity" in which he served as a deputy president.

But the relationship between de Klerk, a chain-smoking whisky drinker, and the austere Mandela was often strained, and De Klerk pulled out of the government in , saying the ANC no longer prized his advice or guidance. He retired from active politics in and later apologised for the miseries of apartheid before Archbishop Desmond Tutu's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

In retirement, he headed the F. He divorced his wife of 39 years, Marike, in , and married Elita Georgiadis, the wife of a Greek shipping tycoon. In December , Marike was murdered in her luxury beachfront home in Cape Town, an incident that underscored South Africa's rampant rates of violent crime.

In an interview with Reuters in , de Klerk said South Africa faced an array of threats ranging from crime to rising unemployment and discontent among potential voters.

All South Africans, all investors, all people with an interest in South Africa are deeply concerned about the crime rate. Skip to main content. You are here Home » Newsroom.