Nelson Mandela- Prison Life

Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1962; he would be imprisoned for 27 years. By 1962 Robben Island had become the toughest correctional facility in South Africa. The prisoners were split up into separate divisions because of their political views and opinions. The prisoners were limited by writing and receiving only one letter consisting of 500 words every six months. The prisoners were forbidden to speak their native language, and were treated with poor conditions and were mal-nourished. During Mandela’s time in jail he and his fellow prisoners were subjected to inhumane punishments for even the slightest of wrongdoings. There were several reports of guards burying the prisoners up to their necks and urinating on them.

In jail, Mandela acted as a mentor. With his law degree, Mandela encouraged the prisoners to seek better conditions with non-violent resistance. Mandela was able to smuggle political statements as well as a draft of his autobiography, “Long Walk to Freedom.” In his confinement, Mandela used many forms of passive resistance and protest to further improve his living conditions. One of his protests was against the officials refusal to allow prisoners to wear sunglasses. After three years of non-violent protest the authorities finally realized that all prisoners needed sunglasses, however they had to purchase these glasses with their own savings.

Despite Mandela’s removal from the spotlight Mandela remained a symbolic leader in ending apartheid. In 1980, Mandela’s close friend Oliver Tambo introduced the free Nelson Mandela campaign. With the building pressure of this antiapartheid movement the government offered Mandela political compromises, but Nelson Mandela rejected these compromises in search of his final goal to end apartheid.

In 1982, Mandela was moved to Pollsmoor Prison on the mainland. After six years of imprisonment Mandela was placed under house arrest by a minimum security correctional facility. One year later the newly elected F.W de Klerk lifted the ban of the anti-apartheid African National Congress (ANC) and called for the end of apartheid. On February 11, 1990, F.W de Klerk ordered Mandela’s release. Even then, Mandela understood that his dream of family life had to stand behind his ultimate dream of becoming president of South Africa. In 1994, democratic elections were held and Mandela won a five year term as the president of South Africa.