Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (18th July 1918 - 5th December, 2013) is a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and politician who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.

He died on 5th December, 2013 shortly before 21:00 local time (19:00 GMT).

He is held in deep respect within South Africa, where he is often referred to by his Xhosa clan name, Madiba, or as Tata ("Father"); he is often described as "the father of the nation".

He was the first black South African to hold the office, and the first elected in a fully representative, multiracial election. He served as the President of the African National Congress (ANC) from 1991 to 1997. Internationally, Mandela was the Secretary General of the Non-Aligned Movement from 1998 to 1999.

A Xhosa born to the Thembu royal family, Mandela attended Fort Hare University and the University of Witwatersrand, where he studied law.

Living in Johannesburg, he became involved in anti-colonial politics, joining the ANC and becoming a founding member of its Youth League. After the Afrikaner nationalists of the National Party came to power in 1948 and began implementing the policy of apartheid, he rose to prominence in the ANC's 1952 Defiance Campaign, was elected President of the Transvaal ANC Branch and oversaw the 1955 Congress of the People. Working as a lawyer, he was repeatedly arrested for seditious activities and, with the ANC leadership, was prosecuted in the Treason Trial from 1956 to 1961 but was found not guilty. Although initially committed to non-violent protest, in association with the South African Communist Party he co-founded the militant Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) in 1961, leading a bombing campaign against government targets. In 1962 he was arrested, convicted of sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government, and sentenced to life imprisonment in the Rivonia Trial.

Mandela served 27 years in prison, first on Robben Island, and later in Pollsmoor Prison and Victor Verster Prison. An international campaign lobbied for his release, which was granted in 1990 amid escalating civil strife.

In June 2004, aged 85 and amid failing health, Mandela announced that he was "retiring from retirement" and retreating from public life, remarking "Don't call me, I will call you." Although continuing to meet with close friends and family, the Foundation discouraged invitations for him to appear at public events and denied most interview requests.

Since then, his health has been of major concern worldwide, but the South African government has released few details about Mandela’s condition, citing patient confidentiality and appealing for Mandela’s privacy and dignity to be respected. But rumors and unconfirmed reports about Mandela’s health have persisted on social media and other forums, fuelled in part by a feud within the Mandela family.

In a court case stemming from a family dispute over burial sites, some members of Mandela’s extended family recently said in court documents that Mandela was being kept alive by a breathing machine and faces “impending death.” That account was disputed by President Zuma’s office, which denied Mandela was “vegetative” but acknowledged his condition was grave.Nelson Mandela was discharged from hospital on Sunday 1st September,2013 while still in critical condition and was taken by ambulance to his Johannesburg home where he will receive intensive care, the office of South Africa’s president said.

Mandela has been married three times (Evelyn, Winnie & Graca), has fathered six children, has 17 grandchildren and a growing number of great-grandchildren.

He has also received the highest international acclaim. In 1993, he received the joint Nobel Peace Prize with de Klerk.In November 2009, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed Mandela's birthday, 18 July, as "Mandela Day", marking his contribution to the anti-apartheid struggle. It called on individuals to donate 67 minutes to doing something for others, commemorating the 67 years that Mandela had been a part of the movement.He was awarded the US Presidential Medal of Freedom,and the Order of Canada,he was the first living person to be made an honorary Canadian citizen.The last reciprocent of the Soviet Union's Lenin Peace Prize from the Soviet Union,and first reciprocent of the Al-Gaddafi International Prize for Human Rights,in 1990 he received the Bharat Ratna Award from the government of India,and in 1992 received Pakistan's Nishan-e-Pakistan.In 1992 he was awarded the Atatürk Peace Award by Turkey. He refused the award, citing human rights violations committed by Turkey at the time,but later accepted the award in 1999.Queen Elizabeth II awarded him the Bailiff Grand Cross of the Order of St. John and the Order of Merit, just to mention afew.

Many artists have dedicated songs to Mandela. The Special AKA, Elvis Costello, Stevie Wonder,Youssou N'Dour,Johnny Clegg,Hugh Masekela,Brenda Fassie, Beyond, Nickelback,Raffi,and Ampie du Preez and AB de Villiers among others.

Mandela has been depicted in cinema and television on multiple occasions. The 1997 film Mandela and de Klerk, Goodbye Bafana (2007), The 2009 BBC television film Mrs Mandela, Invictus (2009), and the upcoming 2013 film, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.

He has very numerous things all over the world named after him; municipalities, townships, streets, schools, umiversities, museums, cinemas, stadiums, buildings, halls, parks, squares, statues, a flower, and even a nuclear particle discovered by scientists at the University of Leeds is named "Mandela particle"!

A Madiba shirt is a batik silk shirt, usually adorned in a bright and colourful print. It has become a well-known nickname for batik shirts in South Africa, being popularised by former South African president Nelson Mandela.

The Madiba shirt was designed by Desré Buirski and first worn by the then newly elected president at the dress rehearsal of the opening of South Africa's first democratic Parliament in May 1994. Mandela has worn this style of shirt many times since.

According to John Carlin (2013), Mandela’s legacy, the imperishable lesson he holds for the ages, and the reason why he stands head and shoulders above every leader of his generation, or practically every leader there has ever been, is that he showed it is possible to be a great human being and a great politician at the same time; that showing respect to friends and enemies alike can get you a long, long way; and that nothing beats the combination—in Mandela’s case, the seamless convergence—of magnanimity and power.