Dear Friends!
As Africa and the World, lays one of her Great Icons of Peace, Lover of Sports and Unity, I wish to Portray his Works, achievements and Legacy, through this Timeline.
To condense all of Mr Nelson Mandela's achievements into one chronology would be impossible; as a result, I do not claim that this work here is comprehensive. Below you will find a chronology of important events in his life. It is a work in progress and am happy to receive your comments or additions.
1918 July 18
Born Rolihlahla Mandela at Mvezo in the Transkei
1925
Attends primary school near Qunu (receives the name ‘Nelson’ from a teacher)
Circa 1930
Entrusted to Thembu Regent Jongintaba Dalindyebo
1934
Undergoes initiation; Attends Clarkebury Boarding Institute in Engcobo
1937
Attends Healdtown, the Wesleyan College at Fort Beaufort
1939
Enrols at the University College of Fort Hare, in Alice
1940
Expelled
1941
Escapes an arranged marriage; becomes a mine night watchman; Starts articles at the law firm Witkin, Sidelsky & Eidelman
1942
Completes BA through the University of South Africa (UNISA)
1942
Begins to attend African National Congress (ANC) meetings informally
1943
Graduates with BA from Fort Hare; Enrols for an LLB at Wits University
1944
Co-founds the ANC Youth League (ANCYL); marries Evelyn Ntoko Mase – they have four children: Thembekile (1945); Makaziwe (1947 – who dies after nine months); Makgatho (1950); Makaziwe (1954)
1948
Elected national secretary of the ANCYL
1951
Elected President of the ANCYL
1952
Defiance Campaign begins; Arrested and charged for violating the Suppression of Communism Act; Elected Transvaal ANC President; Convicted with J.S Moroka, Walter Sisulu and 17 others under the Suppression of Communism Act; Sentenced to nine months imprisonment with hard labour, suspended for two years; Elected first of ANC deputy presidents; Opens South Africa’s first black law firm with Oliver Tambo
1953
Devises the M-Plan for the ANC’s future underground operations
1955
Watches as the Congress of the People at Kliptown launches the Freedom Charter
1956
Arrested and joins 155 others on trial for Treason. All are acquitted by 29 March 1961
1958
Divorces Evelyn Mase; Marries Nomzamo Winnie Madikizela – they have two daughters: Zenani (1959) and Zindzi (1960)
1960 March 21
Sharpeville Massacre
March 30
A State of Emergency imposed and he is among thousands detained
April 8
The ANC is banned
1961
Goes underground; Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) is formed
1962 January 11
Leaves the country for military training and to garner support for the ANC
July 23
Returns to South Africa
August 5
Arrested near Howick in KwaZulu-Natal
November 7
Sentenced to five years in prison for incitement and leaving the country without a passport
1963 May 27
Sent to Robben Island
1963 June 12
Returned to Pretoria Local Prison
1963 October 9
Appears in court for the first time in what becomes known as the Rivonia Trial, with Walter Sisulu, Denis Goldberg, Govan Mbeki, Ahmed Kathrada, Lionel 'Rusty' Bernstein, Raymond Mhlaba, James Kantor, Elias Motsoaledi and Andrew Mlangeni
1963 December 3
Pleads not guilty to sabotage in what becomes known as the Rivonia Trial
1964 June 11
All except Rusty Bernstein and James Kantor are convicted and sentenced (June 12) to life
1964 June 13
Arrives on Robben Island
1969 July 13
Thembekile is killed in a car accident
1982 March 31
Mr Mandela, Sisulu, Raymond Mhlaba and Andrew Mlangeni and later Ahmed Kathrada are sent to Pollsmoor Prison
1985 February 10
Rejects, through his daughter, Zindzi, South African President PW Botha's offer to release him if he renounces violence
1985 November 3
Admitted to the Volks Hospital for prostate surgery
1985 November 23
Discharged from Volks Hospital and returned to Pollsmoor Prison
1988 August 12
Admitted to Tygerberg Hospital where he is diagnosed with Tuberculosis
1988 August 31
Admitted to Constantiaberg MediClinic
1988 December 7
Moved to Victor Verster Prison in Paarl where he was held for 14 months in a cottage
1990 February 2
ANC is unbanned
1990 February 11
Released
1990 March 2
Elected ANC Deputy President
1993 December 10
Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with FW de Klerk
1994 April 27
Votes for the first time in his life
1994 May 9
Elected by Parliament as first president of a democratic South Africa
1994 May 10
Inaugurated as President of the Republic of South Africa
1994 December 14
Launches his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom
1995
Establishes the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund
1996
Divorces Winnie Mandela
1998 July 18
Marries Graça Machel on his 80th birthday
1999
Steps down after one term as President, establishes the Nelson Mandela Foundation
2001
Diagnosed with prostate cancer
2003
Establishes the Mandela Rhodes Foundation
2004 June 1
Announces that he will be stepping down from public life
2005 January 6
Announces that his eldest son Makgatho had died of AIDS
2007 April 13
Attends the installation of his grandson Mandla as chief of the Mvezo Traditional Council
2008 July 18
Turns 90 years old, asks future generations to continue the fight for social justice
2009
Votes for the fourth time in his life; Attends the inauguration of President Jacob Zuma on May 9 and witnesses Zuma's first State of the Nation address; Turns 91
2010
Is formally presented with the Fifa World Cup trophy before it embarks on a tour of South Africa
2010 June 11
His great-granddaughter Zenani is killed in a car accident
2010 June 17
Attends the funeral of his great-granddaughter Zenani
2010 July 11
Makes a surprise appearance at the Final of the Fifa World Cup in Soweto
2010 July
Celebrates his 92nd birthday at home in Johannesburg with family and friends
2010 October 12
His second book Conversations with Myself is published
2010 November 18
Meets the South African and American football teams that played in the Mandela Challenge match
2011 January
Is admitted to hospital in Johannesburg where he was diagnosed with a chest infection. He is discharged after two nights
2011 May 16
Votes in the local government elections
2011 June 27
His book Nelson Mandela By Himself: The Authorised Book of Quotations is launched
2011 June 21
Is visited at home by American First Lady Michelle Obama and her daughters Sasha and Malia
2011 July 18
Celebrates his 93rd birthday with his family in Qunu, Eastern Cape
2011 October 21
Is officially counted in South Africa’s Census 2011
2011 December 25
Spends Christmas with family in Qunu
2012 February 25
Admitted to hospital for abdominal complaint
2012 February 26
Discharged from hospital
2012 July 18
Celebrates his 94th birthday with his family in Qunu, Eastern Cape
2012 December 8
Is admitted to hospital
2012 December 26
Is discharged from hospital
2013 January 1
Spends New Year’s Day with members of his family in Johannesburg
2013 March 9
Is admitted to hospital
2013 March 10
Is discharged from hospital
2013 March 27
Is admitted to hospital
2013 April 6
Is discharged from hospital
2013 June 8
Is admitted to hospital
2013 July 18
Spends his 95th birthday in hospital
2013 September 1
Is discharged from hospital
2013 December 5
Dies.
Good Night Freedom Fighter,
Good Night Man of Peace,
Good Night Nelson Mandela You will Surely live in our Hearts, for your Legacies Lives On. Your Spirit forever will Live.
Good Night, till we meet to Path No more.
