Shout Out To Sean School Pack Solutions

Nelson Mandela was born in a rural part of South Africa on 18 July 1918. He got the name “Nelson” in primary school, and went on to become a lawyer in Johannesburg, the biggest city in the country. At that time Black people in South Africa had no votes, and no rights to travel freely, or marry whoever they wanted. They had to live completely separately from white people, who held all the power. This system was called “Apartheid”, and was opposed all over the world, even in Ireland.

The African National Congress (ANC) was set up to try to change this. Nelson Mandela was a leader in the ANC, and was wanted by the police. He had to move from place to place, sometimes disguised as a driver or a labourer. Eventually, he formed a group to break the system of apartheid by force. He was arrested and sent to prison on Robben Island, close to Cape Town.

While he was in prison he organised study groups, and learned as much as he could, using all his time well. In 1990 he was released, and worked with the South African government to dismantle the apartheid system. In 1993 he received the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1994, after the first free elections were held in which all South Africans had an equal vote, he became the President of the country.

His autobiography is called, “Long walk to Freedom”. He is retired now, but still very much loved in South Africa, where is he is known affectionately as Madiba. The ANC are still in government today.