Nelson Mandela: His Road from Prison to Becoming President

Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s most famous political prisoner, walked free from Victor Verster Prison on 11 February 1990, at 16:14 local time. Hand-in-hand with his then-wife Winnie, after 27 long years of incarceration, Mandela’s release was a pivotal moment.

Crowds gathered under the scorching sun, eager for a glimpse of a man they hadn’t seen in decades—the government had kept his image from the public to suppress his burgeoning fame. Despite these efforts, Mandela’s stature only grew, symbolizing the struggle against apartheid.

The scene outside the prison was electric. Supporters, waving the African National Congress’s (ANC) green, gold, and black flags, erupted in cheers as Mandela emerged, his fist raised in triumph. It was a historic day that nearly didn’t come to be.

Nelson Mandela, born in 1918 in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, had been a leader in the ANC’s nonviolent protests against apartheid—a brutal system that disenfranchised the black majority. His activism made him a prime target for the white government, which used harassment and imprisonment to quell his calls for equality.

When we were sent to jail, we had the feeling that we had been victorious. And that the people who were actually the accused were the government itself – Nelson Mandela

The 1960 Sharpeville Massacre, where police killed 69 protestors, marked a turning point. In an interview with the BBC in 1990, Mandela reflected on the decision to shift from nonviolence to sabotage, targeting infrastructure to avoid loss of life.

His actions led to his arrest and trial, where he famously declared, “It is an ideal for which I am prepared to die,” as he faced charges of sabotage and treason.

Mandela spent the first 18 years of his sentence on Robben Island, in a small cell, performing hard labor in a limestone quarry. Despite harsh conditions and limited contact with the outside world, Mandela continued to lead and inspire.

In 1982, he was transferred to Pollsmoor Prison, where health challenges arose due to damp conditions, leading to a tuberculosis diagnosis in 1988.

Even as apartheid officials periodically offered him freedom, Mandela refused to accept conditions that compromised his principles. His resolve paid off when President FW de Klerk, who took office in 1989, unbanned the ANC and announced Mandela’s unconditional release in 1990—a day before it happened.

Mandela’s response was unexpectedly subdued; he requested a week’s notice to prepare, though he ultimately accepted an immediate release.

Mandela’s journey from prisoner to president encapsulates a remarkable struggle for justice and equality, culminating in his election as South Africa’s first black president in 1994, just three years after his release. His legacy continues to inspire and challenge us to pursue a fairer world.