Thembu Kingdom was struggling for unity before Ngubengcuka. He united the people of Thembu Kingdom by instructing them on the importance of a single political group. He was successful in connecting them to fight for their existence.

British conquest changed the status of Thembu Kingdom, and it came under the Cape Colony (British Colony, part of Transkei). With a few exceptions, Transkei was under National Party. The National Party had a theory according to which the black inhabitants of Africa should be settled separately. The National Party classified people based on colour, leading to Racial Segregation. This was called Apartheid Policy.

The Apartheid System divided people into different groups based on their skin colour. The White Africans were declared as the ones with high status, followed by the Indians and Coloureds. The Black Africans were the last ones to enjoy all the rights. This led to the rise of an opposite voice among Black Africans, which further became the reason for the Rise of Africa.

The Eastern Coast of Southern Africa, with plenty of rainfall, was having an addition in its population on July 18, 1918. A baby boy was born in the Thembu Royal Family in a small village named Mvezu. At that time, no one knew this boy would become a big hurdle in the way of Racism. This boy was Nelson Mandela.

In human nature, naturally, a thing called Resistance exists. This Resistance is significant as history shows us that this Resistance has led to the appearance of various nations on the world map. South Africa is one of them. A versatile history of Africa reflects the efforts of its inhabitants, sacrifices from the mother, and crack down on self-interest.

Rise Of The Apartheid System

Apartheid System was based on racial segregation in which people living in the same territory were divided into different ethnic groups based on colour. Mostly, racial discrimination is done by one in the majority, and minorities have to face this discrimination. In Apartheid System, the opposite theory was practised. According to this, the minority population (the White Africans) were dominant or superior to the black ones just because of their colour. This led to a new term named Minoritarianism, in which everything, including the resources and judicial system, was under the minority’s control. This was never experienced before in human history.

The Apartheid division remained active from 1948 to the 1990s, according to which the prior superior group was The White Africans, followed by the Indians, Coloured, and then Black Africans. The National Party of Africa was responsible for this system to prevail. This system was badly criticized worldwide, resulting in various sanctions on South Africa from the United Nations side. The African National Congress was the only opposition at that time to the Apartheid System.

After the elections in 1948, The National Party came into power and laid strict restrictions on Black Africans, which gave rise to a revolt led by the famous leaders of the African National Congress, including Nelson Mandela, Water Sisulu, and Oliver Tambo.

The Knock Of Freedom

The African people had solid superstitious beliefs, which stopped them from doing many essential tasks. This was also a hurdle for them to come out of the Cargo Cult Thinking. A famous Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe said, “One of the most critical issues of African leaders is their Cargo Cult Mentality.” It depicts that the African people were not having a free mindset.

Moreover, the Africans were also educated in a way that only trained them for slavery. Retooling the Africans’ minds was a difficult task, and mostly, it seemed impossible for the leaders to bring the Africans out of this ridiculous mindset.

It is natural that when people are introduced to things that were never heard before, they are curious to listen and find more information about them. For example, if you give a new toy car to a child who has never seen it, he will try to learn more about its functions and working. Now, give him another toy car after some time. He will be less excited because he has seen it before, and nothing new for him.

Similarly, the Africans were unaware of Freedom, Independence, and Wisdom. All these terms were new to them, and when these terms reached their ears from the tongue of a person who was similar to them in colour, language, and background, they thought it was something to be considered essential and something excellent to work on.

This was the first time they were enlightened to free themselves and had their independent homeland, where they would be treated equally and have the right to make their priorities, rules, and regulations according to their customs and traditions.

A Defiance Campaign was launched against the Apartheid Regulations, resulting in a great clash between the protesters and the state’s power. Many people were killed by the police for violating the Apartheid Regulations, according to which Black Africans couldn’t enter White People’s residential areas.

The United Nations declared these Apartheid Regulations as a “Threat To Peace”.

The Nationalist newspaper wrote about the protesters that ” they find prison a pleasant adobe. These people only understand the lash.”

Albert Luthuli was charged with treason and was attacked. After Albert, Mandela took the African National Congress.

uMkhonto we Sizwe was a political wing of the African National Congress founded by Mandela in 1961 to fight against the government. A Sabotage Campaign was launched by Mandela in 1961, after which he was arrested and imprisoned.

The Rivonia Trial resulted in Mandela’s arrest. It was lifelong imprisonment, and after the arrest, the Black Africans were fully charged, and there were chances that a civil war could take place in Africa, which would result in nothing else than anarchy and destruction.

Mandela’s speech at the Rivonia Trial dock led Black Africans’ minds for 27 years. This lengthy speech comprised 3 hours and was named I am prepared to die.

The rising voices against the Apartheid system created enormous difficulties for the National Party to continue. Finally, they started dialogues with the African National Congress.

President F. W. de Klerk was concerned about a brutal civil war in Africa that would leave nothing but ashes. No signs of Africa would be on the world’s map after this brutal civil war.

These concerns forced him to release Mandela in the 1990s. President Klerk and Mandela negotiated to have a multiracial general election in 1994, resulting in the end or fall of the Apartheid System.

Nelson Mandela won the 1994 elections and was declared the First President Of Africa.

Mandela’s utmost duty was to develop a consensus among the racial groups of the country, and for this purpose, Mandela founded the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Mandela also favoured a liberal framework for the economy, according to which individual rights were preserved, and individualism became the basis for a market. He worked to his best in health, education, and land reforms. Mandela also founded the first constitution of Africa, according to which a President can only hold office for two consecutive periods. Mandela retired from politics in 1999 and did not go for a second tenure, and majorly the reason behind his retirement was his age. He remained active in many other peaceful and social activities. He won the Noble Peace Prize and 250 other honours. Globally, he is considered a symbol of democracy and equality who ended up in 2013.

Africans call him by his Thimbu Clan name- Madiba means Father of The Nation.

After reading about his struggles for Africa, we think he struggled a lot for Black Africans and their rights, but that’s not true. His struggle was for democracy, equality, and justice. He never wanted the Black Africans to be considered superior; he just struggled for the equality of the Black and White Africans. This equality was the unique demand that left him to stay alive in the hearts of all freedom fighters. Mandela writes,

“I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal that I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”