“No one
is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his
background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn
to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human
heart than its opposite.”
Former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela has died aged 95 after a long fight against illness.
One of the most
inspiring figures of the 20th century, he guided
the country from apartheid to democracy during a life filled with hardship and
struggle.
Born in 1918 into the Xhosa clan he was known to South Africans by his
clan name, 'Madiba', or 'Tata', which means 'father'.
Nelson Mandela served 27 years in prison
where he contracted tuberculosis which was to weaken his lungs until the
end of his life. His experiences of incarceration and subsequent release were documented
in his autobiography, Long Walk To Freedom.
He served as President of the African National Congress (ANC) from 1991 to 1997 and was internationally known.
In 1993 Nelson Mandela shared the Nobel Peace Prize with F.W. de Klerk for dismantling apartheid.
In 1993 Nelson Mandela shared the Nobel Peace Prize with F.W. de Klerk for dismantling apartheid.
He was voted in as the first black president of South Africa
in the first fully representative, multiracial election in 1994. He held the post until his retirement in 1999.
Although he retired from political life, Nelson Mandela continued to lend his voice towards issues that affect his country and
the world at large, such as the AIDS epidemic, poverty, and human rights. He
was also instrumental in securing South Africa as the host of the 2010 Soccer
World Cup.
