Title: Nelson Mandela: Birthing a New World
Her Majesty The Queen was born in the twentieth century, a period that saw enormous social change driven by visionary and committed leaders. Reflect on an inspirational leader from this period.
Written by: Leo Tan Jie Le (3G 2022) – Awarded Gold
“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” These are the words that have never been more true than that of the life of Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela was an aggressively passionate man of colour fighting for the liberation of his fellow man and perseverance of the inalienable rights of mankind over a specific race. With the current demonstrations happening in the United States of America, I have decided to reflect on the now deceased leader of South Africa. He once famously fought for the rights of mankind against the apartheid government, who was violating the rights of South African coloured folk, and claimed that if the ANC, the African National Congress, threatens to reintroduce apartheid legislation like the National Party did, they should actively fight against it. This resonates with me, as I have seen the effects of racism first-hand, and how it affects people on a personal level, as they may have, or may have had relatives and family who had lived through the times of racial prejudice and persecution in the 1964 riots in Singapore.
The former president Nelson Mandela started his political career in 1943, joining the African National Congress’ Youth League, and was disgusted by the situation of the current ruling party, such as the introduction of Apartheid legislation. Apartheid was a piece of legislation which made it possible for policemen to stop non-white citizens from frisking, and allows for the segregation of education for white and non-white citizens, and making interracial marriages illegal. Although his contemporaries fought in the courts for the maintenance of the status quo, Mandela was different. He envisioned way before others ever could the rebirth of South Africa as a nation where people could be free from apartheid, where the coloured folk and the whites could stand together as national co-equals, and not be divided apart by racial tensions. Such an idea was considered radical at that time as coloured people were generally treated worse, yet had no voice of their own to speak out. He wanted to give a voice to the voiceless and the disenfranchised. Racism was rampant in South Africa and people were often harassed and lynched because of their skin colour and race, similar yet larger in scale than what goes on in Singapore, such as stereotyping and casual racial profiling. Mandela envisioned a future where racism was outlawed, which truly made him inspiring and different from his contemporary leaders. This painted Mandela’s image as a visionary and radical amongst his contemporaries, and as a champion of civil rights, and many young people like myself would love to pick up his torch and eradicate the semblances of racism still lurking in our societies.
Mandela was elected to the presidency of the Transvaal branch of the African National Congress, where he would stage rallies, such as the Defiance Campaign of 1952, and wage non-violent resistance against the local authorities. For this, he gained his popularity amongst the ANC and Communist Party, and I can also see how desperate and committed Mandela was to his cause, as he even joined the outlawed Communist Party for a chance to fight for his own people. He was even tried for treason, after being arrested in a raid. Yet, Mandela never left on his own or abandoned ship. Mandela was truly cut from a different cloth, and his actions inspire me, as I can see that he was truly fighting for and grasping at any last chance he had for success, and this should inspire members of the commonwealth as well, as we should all be as determined to see our actions to the end, just like what Mandela had resolved himself to do.
Mandela was not deterred from his proper course, however, as not even a year later, he would form the “uMkhonto we Sizwe”, a paramilitary company known as the “Spear of the Nation” in English, alongside his newfound communist allies. Illegally, this paramilitary wing would serve Mandela in a covert subterfuge campaign against South Africa’s oppressors, the National Party. This shows us that Mandela was willing to risk his own reputation in order to fight for his people’s freedom, which I feel is very noble. However, while we see one of his most noble and selfless actions performed by Mandela, we also see one of his lowest points, when he was arrested in 1962, and tried for high treason. He was found guilty, and sentenced to Life Imprisonment, but he only served 27 years in total, mostly due to tensions from foreign powers such as the United Kingdom and United States. These great powers have had their heartstrings tugged by Mandela, and were unwilling to see such injustice go on, just like we have as well. Grand actions and legislation such as the Civil Rights bill of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Caused the National Party’s release of Mandela almost 27 years after he was incarcerated. However, however hard prison may have been for Mandela, he was still committed to see his vision of a rebirth of South Africa finally come to fruition, which I feel is a level of determination we should strive to achieve. Mandela had lost nearly everything, including his life, yet was still determined to finish what he had started and free his country. There is no easy road to equality, and yet Mandela strongly believed that the wounds of apartheid would slowly heal.
Mandela worked with F. W. de Klerk, the reigning president of South Africa to slowly abolish the foundations of apartheid legislation, mainly the ban of South African coloured folk being frisked by police, and the lifting of the ban on interracial marriages. This even extended to voting rights, as by 1994, coloured people were allowed to vote in the South African general elections. I am extremely inspired by Mandela’s social influence, as he worked with politicians and men who had oppressed his fellows for decades, while being undaunted by his long prison sentences. His commitment to his cause shows me that throughout history, regardless of era, there is always going to be an unheard voice, and it is through the self-imposed duty of heroes such as Mandela to speak out. Mandela rose from a small local leader to having staged one of the most long-lasting and important political careers in history, directly involved with the social change movements of the late 20th century.
As I reflect upon the life of former president Mandela, I can tell that Mandela was a true visionary, and a compassionate leader, his legacy had influenced a whole generation of leaders to actively fight against injustice. Even after 27 years of prison time, Mandela still held firm and stayed committed to his cause, eventually triumphing over his oppressors and causing reactionaries to lead many civil rights movements in the near future. This shows that he truly loves his people, as he fought his whole life for their right to be free. Mandela is truly an inspiration to me, as he fights for the minority. Instead of supporting the National Party in hopes of change, he decided to take the long route to freedom, sacrificing half of his adult career to ensure the civil freedom of the South African People. As for me, a youth of a Commonwealth nation, his life’s work has enabled me to envision and dream of a future where men can be free and stand proud of their own race and nationality. His heroism shows me how he valued each human life without reservation and had a deep love for the unseen, the outsiders and the forgotten. Mandela serves as a first-hand reminder that the future I think of can be a possibility. He inspires us by showing us that through hard work and steely determination, we can aspire and create a greater future together.
MJR World of Words 