fw de klerk

Remembering Nelson Mandela’s first steps of freedom

On Sunday 11 February 1990 - 25 years ago - millions of people around the world watched as Nelson Mandela walked out of the gates of Victor Verster prison in Paarl.

Listen: the Nelson Mandela audio series

Joe Richman, founder of the non-profit organisation Radio Diaries, worked meticulously to compile audio snippets of Nelson Mandela from more than 50 interviews with...

Nelson Mandela: leader among leaders

Nelson Mandela is one of the great moral and political leaders of our time. His role in fighting apartheid and his ability to steer South Africa through the crisis of its rebirth earned him a world reputation as a statesman and peacemaker.

Play Your Part episode looks at Mandela’s legacy

The fifth episode of the Play Your Part TV series, which airs on SABC 2 on Sunday, 13 July at 9pm will focus on what South Africans are doing to carry forward Nelson Mandela's legacy.

Mandela bust unveiled outside Parliament

The unveiling of the bust of a smiling Nelson Mandela outside the National Assembly in Cape Town - "something which would have been unthinkable 20 years ago" - underscored Parliament's commitment to uphold the legacy of the former statesman, President Jacob Zuma said on Monday.

Mandela bust unveiled outside Parliament

The unveiling of the bust of a smiling Nelson Mandela outside the National Assembly in Cape Town - "something which would have been unthinkable 20 years ago" - underscored Parliament's commitment to uphold the legacy of the former statesman, President Jacob Zuma said on Monday.

Mandela gets new smart ID card

Nelson Mandela's daughter, Zindzi Mandela, received the former president's new smart ID card at an event to celebrate his 95th birthday at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Thursday.

Global award for Radebe

The Global Foundation for Democracy has named Bridgette Radebe, South Africa’s foremost female mining entrepreneur, as their Businessperson of the Year for 2008.

South African history: the death of apartheid

On 2 February 1990, FW de Klerk lifted restrictions on 33 opposition groups, including the ANC, the PAC and the Communist Party, at the opening of Parliament. On February 11 Mandela, who had maintained a tough negotiating stance on the issue, was released after 27 years in prison.

The piecemeal dismantling of restrictive legislation began. Political groups started negotiating the ending of white minority rule, and in early 1992 the white electorate endorsed De Klerk's stance on these negotiations in a referendum.

Violence continued unabated, a massacre at the township of Boipatong causing the ANC to withdraw temporarily from constitutional talks.

In 1993, however, an agreement was reached on a Government of National Unity which would allow a partnership of the old regime and the new.

The optimism generated by the negotiations was shattered by the assassination of Chris Hani, the secretary-general of the Communist Party: only a prompt appeal to the nation by Mandela averted a massive reaction. At the end of the year an interim constitution was agreed to by 21 political parties.

First democratic elections

South Africa's first democratic election was held on 26, 27 and 28 April 1994, with victory going to the ANC in an alliance with the Communist Party and Cosatu. Nelson Mandela was sworn in as President on May 10 with FW de Klerk and the ANC's Thabo Mbeki as Deputy Presidents.

Mandela's presidency was characterised by the successful negotiation of a new constitution; a start on the massive task of restructuring the civil service and attempts to redirect national priorities to address the results of apartheid; and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, set up primarily to investigate the wrongs of the past.

SAinfo reporter

Updated: July 2015

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