The first black president in South Africa.

Some people would say Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is the must well known person from South Africa. Not only because he served as President there, but also because he was the first president to be elected in fully representative democratic election. In the time before his presidency, he was an anti-apartheid activist and the leader of the African National Congress (ANC). He had (in one way) dedicated his life to end all racial segregation, especially Apartheid.

Many people associate Nelson and the Robben Island, but jet few knows why. Actually, he was a prisoner there from 1962 to 1990, which is as long as twenty-seven years. He was arrested after living on the run for seventeen months, all because of sabotage and other charges. Four years after his release, Nelson led his party into multi-racial democracy, which is what Mandela stand up for. He used all he’s power to fight poverty and inequality.

 Although he was brought in prison for a long time, chased and in a way abused of Apartheid – he would never aim to harm a human being. not even someone who hurt him. Nelson once wrote in his autobiography ´´even as a boy, I always defeated my opponents without dishonoring them."

 Nelson did things because they needed to be done, never for the publicity. And here is a story where this is described quite well: As soon as he had comforted a 12-year-old girls family, after she `accidentally´ was shot by a white farmer. He took his helicopter down to a dying girl suffering from leukemia, whose dream was to meet him. Its amazing that a politic person could do such a thing, without even letting the publicity know. I doubt that a politician in Norway could have taken as much as two seconds off from their tight schedules. Nelson also listened to everyone’s complaints and problems, witch resulted in helping a very important case, that these persons felt worthy.


Made by Maja Lutterloh.

ROBBEN ISLAND

12 kilometres outside the coast of Cape Town you find Robben Island. From the 17^th to the 20^th century Robben Island was used to isolate people, primarily as a prison. It was also a habitat for political activists that fought for the rights of the black people and worked for a fair and democratic country when the apartheid ruled in South Africa.

The most famous prisoner is the former ANC-leader Nelson Mandela. He was on the island for 18 years, from 1963 to 1982. He is best known as the first black president in South Africa.

The island has not only been used as a prison. It was also a hospital for people with leprosy and mental illness between 1846-1931. Under the Second World War, it was a training and defence station. It was kept prisoners on the island during both of these periods.

Today it’s no longer a prison on the Robben Island, but a museum. It’s a popular destination for tourists visiting South Africa. Many think of Robben Island as a symbol of the price South African paid for freedom