When Nelson Mandela won the first-ever multiracial presidential election in South Africa on May 2, 1994, the freedom fighter changed the course of history. The world witnessed a moment that was both deeply symbolic and profoundly transformative. After spending 27 years as a political prisoner under South Africa’s brutal apartheid regime, Mandela emerged not just as a free man, but as a leader determined to heal a divided nation. His presidency marked the beginning of a new era in South African history, one rooted in justice, equality, and reconciliation.
That moment came in April 1994. According to CBS News, the election took place over four days, from April 26 to 29. The first day was designated for the elderly, people with disabilities, pregnant women, prisoners, and expatriates. In long, winding lines that stretched for miles—especially in predominantly Black communities—millions of South Africans waited patiently, some for hours, to cast their first-ever vote. Despite isolated incidents of violence, the voter turnout was astounding. According to History, more than 22 million South Africans participated in the election.
Mandela’s African National Congress won by a wide margin, and in a powerful moment of national healing, he formed a coalition government that included former President F.W. de Klerk’s National Party and the Inkatha Freedom Party, led by Zulu chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi. On May 10, 1994, Nelson Mandela was officially sworn in as South Africa’s first Black president.
His inauguration marked more than just a political transition, it was a global symbol of hope, resilience, and the power of forgiveness. Standing before the world, Mandela delivered a message that would echo through history:
“The time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come,” Mandela said during his acceptance speech, per Reuters. “We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation.”
From prisoner to president.
Mandela’s rise from political prisoner to president is one of the most extraordinary political stories of the 20th century. A tireless advocate for justice and equality, Mandela spent decades fighting to dismantle South Africa’s apartheid system, a brutal regime of institutionalized racism that oppressed the country’s Black majority for nearly half a century. His mission was not only to end apartheid, but to build a democratic South Africa founded on reconciliation, equality, and human rights.
Mandela’s political journey began in 1944 when, as a young lawyer, he joined the African National Congress (ANC), South Africa’s oldest Black political organization. He quickly rose through the ranks, helping to form the ANC Youth League and later becoming deputy national president in 1952, History noted. For years, Mandela and the ANC promoted nonviolent resistance. But after the 1960 Sharpeville massacre, in which police killed 69 unarmed Black protestors, Mandela co-founded the ANC’s armed wing, turning to sabotage in a bid to dismantle apartheid by any means necessary.
This shift in strategy came at a heavy price. In 1961, Mandela was arrested for treason and acquitted, but he was arrested again the following year for leaving the country illegally. He was sentenced to five years in prison, but during that time, he and several other ANC leaders were put on trial again, this time for sabotage. In 1964, Mandela was sentenced to life in prison.
Mandela would go on to spend 27 years behind bars, 18 of those on Robben Island, a remote and harsh prison off the coast of Cape Town. Confined to a small cell with no bed or plumbing and forced to perform hard labor in a limestone quarry, Mandela endured conditions meant to break him. Yet, he remained strong. He led a movement of civil resistance from within the prison walls, successfully pressuring the South African government to improve prison conditions. He became the enduring symbol of the anti-apartheid struggle around the world.
The tide began to turn in 1989 when F.W. de Klerk became president of South Africa. Recognizing the inevitability of change, de Klerk began dismantling the apartheid system. In a sweeping set of reforms, he lifted the ban on the ANC, halted executions, and, in February 1990, ordered Mandela’s release.
Mandela walked free after nearly three decades, not with vengeance in his heart, but with a vision of unity. Over the next few years, he led intense negotiations with the apartheid regime to guide South Africa toward its first democratic election, and he succeeded.
A Presidency of Reconciliation.
As president, Mandela knew that leading South Africa meant more than just holding office, it meant uniting a country scarred by decades of racial hatred. One of his most important achievements was his passion for national reconciliation. Instead of seeking revenge against the white minority who had long oppressed the Black population, Mandela promoted forgiveness and understanding.
This was most clearly seen in his support for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The Commission allowed victims and perpetrators of apartheid-era crimes to come forward, tell their stories, and, in many cases, receive amnesty in exchange for truth. It was a bold and controversial move, but it helped South Africa begin the difficult process of healing.
According to the Colleges Of Law, TRC granted “849 out of 7,112 applicants who gave full disclosures of atrocities they committed and recommended long-term reparations and short-term relief payments to victims.”
Stepping Down with Grace.
In June 1999, Mandela stepped down after a single term. He handed over the presidency to his successor, Thabo Mbeki, and transitioned into the role of elder statesman, continuing to champion peace, human rights, and global health initiatives until his death in 2013.
Mandela’s presidency and election remains one of the most iconic in modern history. He didn’t just lead a government, he led a movement of hope, bridging seemingly impossible divides with humility, wisdom, and unshakable resolve.
SEE ALSO:
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A Look Back At Nelson Mandela’s Historic Presidency
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