Nelson Mandela in Prison

Tilly Mobley (MO L6)

Just over seven years ago, on 5th December 2013, Nelson Mandela passed away at the grand age of 95, at his home in Houghton, Johannesburg. In the end, Mandela’s death did not occur in the cell of a prison block, or as a result of the discriminative laws of apartheid. In fact, a state funeral was ordered by the president, and Mandela’s remarkable life was widely celebrated. This is an image of stark contrast to that of the Rivonia trial, conducted decades earlier, where Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Palace of Justice, Pretoria, a stern reproof to his life’s endeavours. Mandela was locked up by his own government – with the intention of permanence – upon charges of treason.

Despite this interminable sentence, Nelson Mandela died a global hero; he managed to reform conditions locally for fellow inmates in prison, nationally for South Africans under apartheid, and ultimately everyone worldwide living under systems of segregation. In 1990, Mandela walked free – in spite of the intentions of his captors.

Twenty years in prison. ‘This is the island. This is where you will die’ were the first words of a warden who greeted prisoner 46664, Nelson Mandela, upon arrival at Robben Island in 1967. Evidently, Nelson’s imprisoners were adamant he would never see the light of day, nevertheless Mandela remained optimistic, driven by his moral conscience assuring him his struggles were worthwhile. His optimism was evident when, instead of allowing his captors to triumph, Mandela stood up against their maltreatment: he said it ‘made us more determined to continue with this battle until victory has won.’ Considering the fact that three former inmates of Robben island went on to become presidents of South Africa, it seems many of these prisoners did win their battle, surfacing from isolation unconquered. Robben Island was where Mandela would endure 18 testing years out of the 27 he spent imprisoned. The island was notorious for its harsh regime and bleak conditions, and Mandela’s imprisonment there took numerous forms; physical, emotional, psychological and political.

The walls of Mandela’s seven by nine foot room bound him physically within the island, which was already isolated from mainland society by eight kilometres of sea. He was permitted one visit and one letter every six months, and emotional relationships were held upon a leash. Officials monitored rare the rare 30-minute visits, and painstakingly censored the content of Mandela’s desperate letters in which he attempted to be an active father to his children. Letters were stripped of anything deemed ‘political’, regularly leaving illegible passages behind. Meanwhile Mandela was stripped of the right to study for four entire years, after the discovery of his secret autobiography by his jailors. These details merely paint a vague image of the extent to which Mandela’s confinement notably extended beyond his direct physical imprisonment.

Arguably more important, apartheid represented an isolation within society that could not even be escaped by those outside prison walls. In spite of the ANC’s efforts, and their ongoing struggles, political freedom had not at this time been won; black South Africans still endured massive discrimination which plagued their everyday lives. Furthermore, Intellectual exercise was never allowed; studying was periodically granted or denied, and limited as a whole – owing to particular subjects, such as politics and military history, being forbidden.

‘The authorities believed that isolation was the cure for our defiance and rebelliousness’, wrote Mandela in his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom. Nelson Mandela was sent to the new cell block of Robben Island, especially constructed for political prisoners, in a bid by the national government to dispose of leadership qualities and extinguish all threats to apartheid legislation. Political prisoners, including Mandela and his comrades, underwent the toughest punishments, were allowed the fewest privileges and endured the worst living conditions. This was due to their political crimes against apartheid, which named them the lowest-grade prisoners, existing under Class D conditions. Nevertheless, the white regime’s solution to the ANC’s persistence failed. The ANC undeniably succeeded in the end, abolishing the system of apartheid with the March 1992 referendum. Aged 72, Nelson Mandela was alive, healthy and free of prison’s burdens. Mandela consolidated anti-apartheid success by introducing his own personally formulated constitution, an activity which would present him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

Mandela first met and discussed this constitution with State President F.W. de Klerk in 1989, whilst still in prison. Mandela’s unique philosophy, paired with his stern resilience and intelligence, powered him through prison and even propped up the ANC’s efforts in the meantime. Mandela defied the odds, breaking down seemingly indestructible boundaries within society, including those fiercest ones between his comrades and their captors. For example, political prisoners earnt their right to study and even, in 1977, were successfully granted a break of manual labour. These developments suggested a growth in the respect that existed between inmates and their captors. Prior to this, the belligerent manual labour at the prison’s lime quarry was responsible for permanent damage to Mandela’s eyesight - a consequence of refusal by guards to grant sunglasses.

Nelson Mandela’s influence upon society never ceased, despite 27 years behind bars; he came to represent a symbol of anti-apartheid resistance. His efforts, as ruler of the ANC’s armed wing, provided a glimpse of hope towards a life free from the lockdown that apartheid legislation imposed. The hope Mandela granted fuelled the continuation of resistance after the Rivonia trial. Mandela kickstarted a movement strong enough to prosper in his absence. The strength of his work meant that, even indirectly, he managed to influence the world towards reform.

Moreover, he managed to provide direct assistance and leadership during his period of imprisonment, and this influence lived on. Mandela was able to smuggle out messages of guidance to the anti-apartheid movement, actively adding fuel to the flame. Phenomenally, he utilised his poor circumstances to his own advantage. Mandela adopted a unique philosophy where he valued the practice of studying his oppressors, in his case all of course supporters of apartheid. This was demonstrated by the fact Mandela learnt Afrikaans, the language of his persecutors, and encouraged his comrades to follow suit during their time in prison. Mandela did so as he believed in the vitality of understanding the thoughts and conceptions of the enemy, so that he was best equipped to accommodate them when necessary. It is noted Mandela was always particularly cautious and wise when selecting the perfect moment to initiate discussion of apartheid regime. In order to best utilise this knowledge, Mandela also worked on a Bachelor of Laws degree, provided by the University of London. He had an extensive knowledge of the law, dating from his early life, that he applied effectively when fellow prisoners were violated, sparking amendments within prison. Without fail, Mandela strove to make the world a better place. Prison did not prevent this quality from flourishing. Zozo, an inmate at Robben Island, depicted Mandela as a leader in prison stating, in gratification, “Our leader, Nelson Mandela, taught us not to take revenge on our enemies. And because of this today we are free, free, free.” Indeed, he markedly bettered the lives of struggling inmates.

Nelson Mandela may, yet again, be physically absent from society. However, he has left a legacy which will never die. His accomplishments can be seen all around us. Even today, the ANC’s struggle for justice seems not so alien, amongst the protests launched in the face of Black Lives Matter (BLM). These protests act as a reminder of Mandela’s struggles that mustn’t be forgotten; indeed, they continue to inspire us, further enabling us to stride further towards equality. It is clear the world is yet not free of racial discrimination, despite advances towards it. Nevertheless, South Africa progressed immensely during the lifetime of Mandela. The ANC in South Africa remain triumphant, continuing to prosper as the official ruling party of the Republic of South Africa since the election of Nelson Mandela in 1994. The monumental shift away from apartheid has stuck. However, BLM and the battles of the present day highlight that this is not the end.