Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela (1918–2013) was South Africa's first democratically elected president, serving from 1994 to 1999, and a global icon of the struggle against apartheid. A lawyer by training, he co-founded the African National Congress Youth League and became a leading figure in the liberation movement, for which he was imprisoned for 27 years, much of it on Robben Island, after being convicted at the Rivonia Trial in 1964. His statement from the dock at that trial, describing the injustices of apartheid's industrial colour bar and the denial of workers' rights to Africans, remains a touchstone in South African political and labour discourse. Released in 1990, he led negotiations that ended white minority rule and helped found South Africa's constitutional democracy, for which he shared the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize with FW de Klerk. As president, he pursued reconciliation between South Africa's racial communities and oversaw the drafting of a Constitution guaranteeing labour, civil and human rights previously denied to the black majority. After leaving office he continued humanitarian and human rights work through the Nelson Mandela Foundation until his death in 2013. His legacy is commemorated annually on Mandela Day (July 18), marked by volunteer service initiatives, and continues to be invoked in South African political, social and labour commentary, sometimes controversially when his name is used to frame contemporary movements such as anti-immigration campaigns. He remains a central reference point in South African historical and political writing, including recent works revisiting the final years of apartheid.
Nelson Mandela Updates
SA: Paul Mashatile: Address by Deputy President, at the 8th National Congress of the Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA), Radisson Hotel & Convention Centre, Ekurhuleni (14/10/2026)
16th October 2026 Allow me to convey the greetings of President Cyril Ramaphosa, who had intended to join this important occasion. Unfortunately, due to prior... →
Navi Pillay’s Nobel peace prize is a vote of confidence in a global legal order under fire
12th October 2026 The awarding of the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize to distinguished South African jurist and international judge Navanethem “Navi” Pillay is about more... →
Ramaphosa congratulates Navi Pillay on ‘profound tribute’ of Nobel Prize win
9th October 2026 President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday extended his congratulations to judge Navanethem "Navi" Pillay, who won the Nobel Peace Prize "for her efforts... →
South African Navanethem "Navi" Pillay wins 2026 Nobel Peace Prize 
By: Reuters 9th October 2026 Navanethem "Navi" Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday "for her efforts to promote peace and international law," the Norwegian Nobel... →
1985: The Langa Massacre and the ending of white rule in South Africa
8th October 2026 On 21 March 1985, police opened fire on a funeral procession in Langa township outside Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape, killing peaceful protesters... →
Street names carry stories with them. What they tell us about Gauteng in South Africa
25th September 2026 As a design researcher working in urban graphic heritage, I explore how everyday graphic objects communicate in public spaces. I have started to... →
1985: The Langa Massacre and the Ending of White Rule in South Africa
3rd September 2026 On 21 March 1985, police opened fire on a funeral procession in Langa township outside Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape, killing peaceful protesters... →
The Miseducation of South Africa: Busting myths about our biggest debates
14th August 2026 Dan Corder takes aim at the myths, half-truths and inherited narratives that shape how South Africans understand our past, our politics and... →
SA’s anti-immigration movement raises the stakes on social media
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies 24th July 2026 Vigilante videos, AI-generated content and Mandela-linked framing are fuelling millions of mentions and xenophobic sentiment. With weekly... →
National Water Access Acceleration Programme officially launched
By: Natasha Odendaal 20th July 2026 South Africa has launched the National Water Access Acceleration Programme, through the decentralised water supply schemes, amid the need to expand... →
