Tag: prison

There are plenty of books about Nelson Mandela – written by himself, by people who knew him and by historians and journalists. Taken together, they tell a story of a life that towers above others, yet also reveal the more private experiences of the great man.

The Message Entrepreneurship Programme is helping young men in and out of prison build a better life for themselves and those around them.

Brothers for All uses former offenders to raise funds and teach computer coding to prisoners. Cash for the initiative is raised through making bead jewellery, which is then poured into programming classes at prisons in Western Cape.

Twenty-five years ago today, on 11 February 1990, Nelson Mandela walked out of jail and into a South Africa on the verge of becoming a new, transformed nation. We recall the events of that historic day.

In delivering the third Mandela Colloquium lecture, his old friend Ahmed Kathrada spoke with great affection, always recounting his memories of their years together in the present tense, as if Mandela was still present in his life. They met when Kathrada was a teenager, and he was inspired by the former leader's strength, courage and deep sense of equality.

Sitting astride a ridge on the northern edge of Joburg's inner city, Constitution Hill is a symbol of how far South Africa has come. Once a notorious prison filled with anti-apartheid activists, it is now the seat of the highest court in the land, where freedom, democracy and justice are defended.

Nelson Mandela has left an indelible mark on every South African. His legacy will live on, even as people mourn his passing. Around the country and the world, they gather to pay tribute to a great man and celebrate his inspiring life.

Nelson Mandela united the world in freedom and forgiveness. Once again, today he unites the world - in grief. From politicians to entertainers, from sports men and women to religious leaders, and from ordinary people the world over, tributes are pouring in for a man loved by all.

Nelson Mandela's was a life well-lived. He was an example to which each and every person can aspire - from a small village in the Eastern Cape to the world's political and humanitarian stages, via the horror and loneliness of apartheid's prisons. We salute you, Tata.