The Early Years
Nelson Mandela was born on 18 July 1918 in the village of Mvezo. Then later on they experienced family problems and they moved to Qunu, near Umtata, in the eastern Cape where Nelson grew up with his family. * Map of S.A. His second name Rolihlahla means " stirring up trouble" in Xhosa - his mother tongue. His father was Chief Henry - a member of the Thembu royal family. Thembu are the Xhosa speakers. Chief Henry had 4 wives; Nosokeni Fanny was the third of Chief Henry's four wives. Nelson and his three sisters lived in their mother's Kraal and shared her three huts. His mother was poor and not educated. But before his father's death, his parents had decided that their son would get an education. He was sent to live with the acting paramount chief name of his tribe, the Thembu and his name was Chief Dalindyebo. As was the custom, Nelson became the chief's son. Nelson shared a hut with the chief's son, Justice. The chief helped Nelson to get his western education. When he completed primary school there was a huge celebration. I t was a big event and a goat was slaughtered. Because there was not local high school the young Mandela became a boarder at Healdtown High School. In 1934 the age of 16, Nelson went to circumcision lodge on the banks of the Bashee River. By doing that, he proved that he is a man within his tribe. At this time Nelson became interested in the Law. During School holidays he would spend time watching his guarding conducting tribal court cases. He enjoyed observing the way in which each side would present its case and the chief would then pass judgment.
Nelson matriculated from Healdtown in 1938 and the following year he went to Fort Hare University College. It was started by the missionaries; Fort Hare was one of the first serious educational institutions for blacks.
Nelson Mandela began a B A degree there and he met *Oliver Tambo.   He spent time sneaking out of his dormitory at night with his nephew Kaiser Matanzima to go to ballroom dancing. *Oliver Reginald Tambo was born in Bizana in 1917. Tambo was the son of peasant farmers. His early brilliance at a local mission school and then at St Peter's in Johannesburg earned him a scholarship to Fort Hare in 1938. In his third year of studies Nelson became involved in a boycott of classes in protest at the hostel food at Fort Hare. The authorities expelled the organizers. Nelson was sent home. When he arrived at home the guardian thought that he is a man now, he needs a wife - so he arranged the girl and lobola* was paid and all the arrangements were made for the wedding. So Nelson ran away to Johannesburg with his old pal, Justice. They went by bus through the eastern Cape, catching the train for Johannesburg in Kwa-Zulu Natal.*Lobola - bride price, traditionally paid in cattle.
Nelson & Justice were part of a massive black migration, in the 1940's, that took thousands of men from the rural areas to seek work in the "City of Gold" - Egoli. There Nelson discovered an urban life that was fast, lively and influenced by the USA. GANGSTER MOVIES, American writers and singers became part of township culture as did jazz ... In Johannesburg Nelson & Justice knew only one person who helped them to get a job at crown mines as a policemen guarding the men - only hostels. Then later they plan to meet * Walter Sisulu who ran his small estate agency from central Johannesburg. *Walter Max Myate Sisulu was born in Engcobo in the Eastern Cape in 1912. Sisulu came to Johannesburg where he held down a succession of jobs. He first worked in a dairy, then a mile below ground digging for gold at the rock face. He was also a kitchen hand in a white household, followed by a series of jobs in factories. At the same time he studied by correspondence and educated himself and had became a fighter against justice. In 1940 he joined the ANC, becoming its secretary general in 1949. When Mandela walked into his office in 1941 Sisulu was living with his mother who took in washing for white families Nelson explained his situation and Walter immediately offered him a job. He also invited Nelson to stay with him at his mother's house. He helped pay Nelson's fees to study for a BA degree by correspondence.
At that time he enjoyed playing boxing and also listening to the music.
Then eventually he met Evelyn Ntoko Mase who was a nurse at City Deep Mine Hospital. Within a year, they were married. In 1947 they already had a son "Thembi" and they moved to a three -roomed matchbox house No 8115 in Orlando West - Soweto. Their son, Thembi died when Nelson was in Robben Island. A daughter was born in 1948 but lived only 9 months. In 1950 their second son Makgatho, and their eldest surviving daughter, Makazizwe was born in 1954.
Nelson completed his B A degree and enrolled part-time for a Law degree at Witwatersrand university in Johannesburg. At that time he was in a firm of white lawyers as an article clerk. On the campus Nelson made contact with people of all raced and political views. There were no segregation at that time; Nelson was at first inspired by these racial ideas, which drew him into the ANC. In 1944 he joined ANC. The ANC Youth League was formed mainly by Mandela, Tambo and Sisulu. They put forward radical tactics that would shift the ANC from polite pleas to *mass action * Mass action - It is a tactic used to stimulate protest action by all people in the country against unjust laws. Use of people's power.
His first marriage (by which he had three children) having broken up, Mandela now sees the lady called Nomzamo Winnie Madikizela, who had come from the Transkei (Eastern Cape) to Johannesburg to qualify as a social worker and who from the start had to accept his enforced absences from their small blockhouse in Orlando (part of what would later be called Soweto). His divorce came through in 1957 and in 1958 he announced their marriage.
The wedding took place on the 14 June 1958 in Transkei. They all left Johannesburg on the 12 June 1958. Then on the 13 June 1958 there were on the bride's side. All the people of the village were excited.
Then later they took the bus back to Johannesburg where Winnie had to go back to the hospital and Nelson had to go for his trial.By October 1958 Winnie discovered that she is pregnant. In February 1959 Winnie had a baby called Zanani. After few months again she was pregnant but had a miscarriage. But at the end they had two daughters.Both husband and the wife were to make an exceptional contribution to the South African liberation struggle, inspiring others with the style and spirit of their endurance.

ANC RESISTANCE DURING THE 1940-1960
Introduction:Before 1940, South Africa was ruled by a policy called segregation. or "indirect rule". This meant:· that the Natives were to be governed by their own chiefs. · They had to live in special areas created for them. The Land Act passed in 1913 had already taken away ancestral lands from the Africans, leaving 87% of land in the hands of Whites, and 13% occupied by Blacks. This gave rise to landlessness and migrant labor.· Native chiefs were given the power to act as judges in civil actions, between Native and Native.
Apartheid After the Union of South Africa in 1910, the next most important date is 1948. This year saw the coming to power of the Nationalist Party, who won the elections, and formed the majority party in parliament. The president was Dr. D.F. Malan.The chief features of the history of South Africa during this period were:· The growing lock of the Nat party on the White electorate.· Apartheid legislation passed through parliament· African efforts to halt the growth of White supremacy, and replace it with a more equitable society· The government's effort to stem the rising tide of Black resistance. e.g. By 1956, Blacks were not allowed to vote.
The Apartheid system divided South African people into 4 different distinct groups, according to the color of their skins." White" -for European settlers and their descendants"African" for the largest group of inhabitants, who spoke the Bantu languages" Coloureds" for those of mixed origins i.e. children of Black and White unions."Indians"/"Asians" -for the indentured laborers and traders who arrived in South Africa in the 19th century to work on the sugar cane fields

HOW DID APARTHEID WORK?
All people who were not “White” were classified as “Non-Europeans” or “Bantu”(Africans).

Non-Europeans were forced to live in areas set aside for them by law (Group Areas Act -1950). This affected Coloreds and Indians mainly.Africans were sent to the Bantustans - special reserves set aside for them according to tribe e.g. Ciskei, Transkei, Zululand, Bophutuswana. Blacks could not enter a 'White 'area; if they were employed as workers/servants, they had to carry passes.( Pass Laws )
The power to vote by 1956 was taken away from all people who were not White. Although all people had to pay taxes, there was no direct representation in parliament. Representation in parliament was through a White representative, who managed 'Bantu Affairs'; Colored Affairs' and Indian Affairs'.
Blacks (i.e. Indian, Colored and African) could not occupy leading positions in the military institutions i.e. Army, Police and Naval forces.

AFRICAN NATIONALISM DURING THE 40's and 50's
The systematic removal and displacement of Africans from their ancestral land can be seen to be the spark, which set African nationalism aflame. The African National Congress was formed on the 8th January 1912 in Bloemfontein. It consisted of African chiefs, intellectuals, clergymen, workers and peasants from every tribe in South Africa. It's first president was J. L Dube (1912 -1917)At its beginning, the ANC did not include armed struggle in its objectives. The reasons for this was for two reasons:· They had no superior arms of their own.· The suppression of the Bambata uprising (1906) showed that this route was not practical.The activity of the ANC consisted of deputations, petitions, demonstrations and conference resolutions...peaceful and non-violent forms of action. 
1940 separated all Non-Europeans separated from taking part in forming the country's policy. Under these political conditions 4 organizations emerged:The African National Congress (formed 1912)The South African Indian Congress ( formed 1907)The Colored Peoples Congress ( Formed 1953) and the Congress of Democrats (whites who disagreed with the Apartheid laws - formed 1952.). 
Formation of the ANC Youth League -1944.It was the ANC Youth League( 1944) which revitalized the traditional pattern of the older leaders. The first president was A. Lembede, Secretary -O.R. Tambo; Treasurer: Walter Sisulu. Exec. members included Nelson Mandela, Dan Tloome, Mda, Joe Mathews, Duma Nokwe and Robert Sobukwe.The main thrust of the Youth League was militant mass action. Its aims:· Rallying and uniting African youth into one national front on the basis of African Nationalism.

·         Giving force, direction and vigor to the struggle for African national freedom, by assisting, supporting the ANC

·         Studying the political, economical and social problems of Africa and the world

·         Striving and working for the educational, moral and cultural advancement of the African youth.

 
The Basic Policy of the Congress Youth League:

On African Nationalism:The African people in South Africa are oppressed as a group with a particular color. They suffer national oppression with thousands…oppressed colonial peoples in other parts of the world.The basic aims were:¨ Creation of a united nation out of heterogeneous tribes¨ Freeing Africa from foreign domination and foreign leadership¨ Creation of conditions which can enable Africa to make her own contribution to human progress and happiness.¨ To achieve freedom, the Africans must build a powerful national liberation movement; whose creed was Africa nationalism i.e. led by the Africans themselves. (This was later re-stated). The two streams of African Nationalism:The re-statement became necessary because of "misunderstandings and distortions". African nationalism was identified as having two streams:a. The Garvey approach: "Africa for the Africans", based on the "Quit Africa" slogan and on th cry "Hurl the White man into the sea" This brand of African nationalism is extreme and ultra-revolutionary. (Basic Policy Document)

b. African nationalism:"which is moderate and which the congress Youth League professes. We of the Youth League take account of the concrete situation in South Africa and realize that the different racial groups have come to stay. But we insist that a condition for inter-racial peace and progress is:the abandonment of white domination, and as such, a change in the basic structure of South African society, that those relations which breed which breed exploitation and human misery will disappear. Therefore our goal is the winning of national freedom for African people, and the inauguration of the people's free society, where racial oppression and persecution will be outlawed."

  

On the Goal of Political Action:Preamble: '.all nationalities and minorities would have their fundamental human rights guaranteed in a democratic constitution' 

Main aims: ¨ Removal of discriminatory laws and color bar¨ Admission of Africans into the full citizenship of the country so that he has direct representation in parliament on a democratic basis. 
Other provisions: These covered aspects such as Economic policy - Land reform, Industry, trading and co-operation, General national economy.
  • Educational Policy - 100% literacy; free compulsory education to all children; andMass adult education.Child education - according to aptitude.. Access to academic, aesthetic, vocational and technical training.Aim of education: mould the characters of the young, high moral and ethical values, full and responsible citizenship in a democratic society. 
  • Cultural policy:'..Congress stands for.. policy of assimilating the best elements in European and other civilizations and cultures, on the firm basis of what is firm and durable in the African's own culture and civilization..'

Fallacies and diversions to be expected:

·         African nationalism and racialism

·         Pseudo-nationalism

·         Fascist agents

·         Vendors of the foreign method

·         Tribalism:  ‘Tribalism itself is the mortal foe of African nationalism…declare relentless war on centrifugal tribalism.’

CONCLUSION:

The conclusion confirms that ‘the most vital aspect of our forward struggle is the political aspect…’

 

Important events of resistance in the 1940's
In December 1940, Dr.A.B.Xuma became the President of the ANC. During this period the ANC. He was a skilled organizer, and under his leadership the following were accomplished:· Brought a tighter organization to the structure of the ANC, bringing provincial branches under the authority of the national leadership. · Re-organized the ANC's finances to such a degree, that paid organizers could become a reality· Built ties between other dominated communities in South Africa - viz. the 'Doctor's Pact' in 1947 -a "Joint Declaration of Cooperation" whereby an alliance was formed between the Indian Congress and the African national Congress (Xuma- Dadoo -Naicker Pact).· Renewal of debate and vigor through the publication of African Claims in South Africa (1943), which became an important statement of ANC aims. · Recruitment of a new generation of Africans into the ANC- radicals from this generation included Mandela and Tambo. Both were graduates from Fort Hare University. It was this generation who realized the potent force of mass mobilization.· The ANC Youth League took up Dr Xuma's call to youth to become more active in ANC affairs, and formed the ANC Youth League. It was from this body that the African political leadership was to emerge in the 50's, 60's and even the 70's and 80's. 

THE UNFOLDING OF DEFIANCE
The most initial signs of defiance in the 1940's were:1944 -Anti-pass demonstration, where 20 000 women marched through the city of Johannesburg.
1946 - African mineworkers go on strike in Johannesburg and the Reef in response to a call by the African Mineworkers union. The strike was suppressed and several workers were killed. 
1948 - The Nationalist Party under Dr. D.F. Malan comes to power. His government passed laws which reinforced the segregation idea,.with the introduction of apartheid. Between 1950-1952, The Malan government passed:· The Group Areas Act ( areas set aside of different race groups)· The Colored Voters Act (Removal of voters rights)· The Bantu Authorities Act ( Puppet authorities set up in the Bantustans i.e. not elected, but appointed by government)· Population registration Act: (Registration at birth in a particular race group). · Suppression of Communism Act (designed to suppress any form of opposition to govt.). 
1950 May Day strikes:The ANC initially did not lend support to the call for this strike. The strike itself was a success, with more than ½ the work force staying away. However, it ended in bloodshed, with 19 Africans killed, and more than 30 wounded. This transformed the attitude of the ANC. 1950 - National day of Protest was called for the 26th June 1950. It was a national stoppage of work, and was supported by a broad front of the Indian Congress, the SACP and trade union organizations. It called for 'all South Africans"to heed the call. Mandela was put in charge of the National Day of Protest.
1952 -The Defiance Campaign. ( June 26th)Nelson was appointed as Volunteer in Chief- for the organization of the Defiance Campaign ; this brought him to the center stage of political activism. During the campaign 8 000 volunteers deliberately broke apartheid laws and were jailed, and 100 organizers were detained banned. 
1952 - A National prayer meeting was disrupted by police fire in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. This resulted in a riot, in which 6 whites and 26 Blacks were killed. As a result, over 100 organizers were detained and banned. These included Mandela, Sisulu, Bopape, Yusouf Cachalia, James Philips, J. B. Marks, and Moses Kotane.
1953 - Apartheid takes it's toll. Forced removal implemented in Sophiatown. Residents were forcibly removed to Soweto.
1954 - Pass Laws were extended to women. This saw the formation of FEDSAW (Federation of South African Women). The President was Lillian Ngoyi; Secretary was Helen Joseph. This organization was significant because it brought together women of all races
1955 The Defiance Campaign widened the support for the ANC. In 1955, the leaders of all anti-apartheid movements decided to call a Congress of the People at Kliptown. (Known also as the Kliptown Congress of the People). 3000 delegates attended the meeting. The Congress drew up the Freedom Charter. It set out the guiding objectives of the liberation movement and demanded non-racial, democratic government with equality for all before the law.It became in time, a much-cherished manifesto.
1956 -Aug. 9. A mass march by 20 000 women to the Union Buildings in Pretoria takes place to petition against the Pass Laws, and Bantu Education Act.
1956 - Treason trials. On the 5th December 1956, police arrest 156 people of all races. They were all charged with treason. However, the state found it difficult to prove the charges. The trial dragged on for 5 years, every one of the accused were acquitted. 
Significance of this period:During this time of wide spread popular protest, the various movements that supported a non-racial policy joined together to form political alliances. By 1953, the ANC had forged alliances with the Congress of Democrats, the South African Indian Congress and the South African Colored Peoples organization. It was this broad front approach which strengthened the ranks of the ANC in the face of adversity.