A-SAfricaMandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa on July 18, 1918. His father was Chief Henry Mandela of the Tembu Tribe. Mandela himself was educated at University College of Fort Hare and the University of Witwatersrand and qualified in law in 1942. He joined the African National Congress in 1944 and was engaged in resistance against the ruling National Party's apartheid policies after 1948. He went on trial for treason in 1956-1961 and was acquitted in 1961.

executive considered his proposal on the use of violent

tactics

Five months later, for the first time in South Africa's history, all races voted in democratic elections and Mr Mandela was overwhelmingly elected president.

Mr Mandela's greatest problem as president was the housing shortage for the poor, and slum townships continued to blight major cities.

with the day-to-day business of the government, while he concentrated on the ceremonial duties of a leader, building a new international image of South Africa.

What were the main failures of his presidency? While Mandela deferred to liberal constitutional proprieties, he is also partly responsible for the survival within the ANC of the strong authoritarian predispositions it brought back to South Africa from exile. Between 1990 and 1994 Mandela attempted to restrict internal electoral procedures within the organisation. Mbeki’s ascendancy as deputy president under Mandela was not the outcome of any election, but of secret deals between ANC leaders.