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Rolihlahla Nelson Mandela from Prisoner 46664 to President Of South Africa 1994

 Facts about Nelson Mandela's Life, A Chronology or Timeline. 1993/4 The Nobel Prize with F W De Klerk to Nelson Mandela 46664 & "Give A Minute To Aids" 2004

Nelson Mandela & F W De Klerk win Nobel Prize




Mandela wins the Nobel Peace Prize, together with FW de Klerk (Norway)

1994

Mandela continues the campaign from the previous year, however he rules out the possibility of delaying the election date to accommodate them.

Mandela's autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, is published

Following a civil uprising in Bophuthatswana, which leads to a downfall of the Mangope government, Mandela guarantees striking civil servants their jobs, but harshly criticises the looting that occurs during the unrest. In April, last minute talks are held in the Kruger Park between Mandela, De Klerk, Buthelezi and Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini to try to break the deadlock on IFP participation in the elections. The meeting is unsuccessful and is followed by an attempt at international mediation. This, too, fails, but a last minute effort by Kenyan academic, Washington Okumu, brings the IFP back into the election process. Mandela and De Klerk then sign an agreement regarding the future status of the Zulu King

Mandela contests the election as the head of the ANC for the National Assembly.

At Inanda, Durban Mandela votes in a general election for the first time in his life.

The Independent Electoral Commission announces that the ANC has won 62% of the national vote. Mandela subsequently indicates he had been relieved that the ANC had not achieved a two-thirds majority in the election, as this would allay fears that it would unilaterally re-write the constitution. He states that he stands for a government of national unity with each part sharing in the exercise of power.
In Mandela's State-of-the-Nation speech to parliament he announces that R2.5 billion will be allocated in the 1994/95 budget for the government's Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). His pragmatic economic policy is welcomed by business in general.
Mandela continues to draw the right White wing into the negotiation process and holds a breakthrough meeting with the leader of Conservative Party (CP), Ferdie Hartzenberg. Negotiations also involve a possible meeting with AWB leader Eugene Terre Blanche.

Mandela is elected unopposed as President of South Africa in the first session of the National Assembly.

Nelson Mandela's Presidential inauguration takes place at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. As well as about 100 000 celebrants on the lawns in front of the building, it is the largest gathering of international leaders ever held in South Africa. The ceremony is televised and broadcast internationally. In his inaugural speech Mandela calls for a 'time of healing' and states that his government will fight against discrimination of any kind. He pledges to enter into a covenant to build a society in which all South Africans, Black and White, could walk tall without fear, assured of their rights to human dignity 'a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world'.

In Mandela's State-of-the-Nation speech to parliament in May he announces that R2.5 billion will be allocated in the 1994/95 budget for the government's Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). His pragmatic economic policy is welcomed by business in general.
Mandela continues to draw the right white wing into the negotiation process and holds a breakthrough meeting with the leader of Conservative Party (CP), Ferdie Hartzenberg. Negotiations also involve a possible meeting with AWB leader Eugene Terre Blanche

Mandela attends the OAU summit held in Tunis and is appointed second vice-president of the organisation. The following month he holds talks with his Angolan, Mozambican and Zairean counterparts in an attempt to further peace-making efforts in Angola. UNITA leader, Jonas Savimbi, welcomes his participation in the peace process

Mandela undergoes eye surgery for a cataract. The operation is complicated by the fact that his tear glands were damaged by the alkalinity of the stone at Robben Island where he had done hard labour breaking rocks

Mandela makes a crucial speech at the annual conference of the Congress of South Africa Trade Union (Cosatu) where he calls on the labour movement to transform itself from a liberation movement, to one which would assist in the building of a new South Africa. He warns that workers will lose their jobs if production costs rose because of unnecessary labour unrest and he called on workers to assist in making the ANC's RDP programme work

1995

Mandela makes a crucial speech at the annual conference of the Congress of South Africa Trade Union (Cosatu) where he calls on the labour movement to transform itself from a liberation movement, to one which would assist in the building of a new South Africa. He warns that workers will lose their jobs if production costs rise because of unnecessary labour unrest and he calls on workers to assist in making the ANC's RDP programme work.

At a cabinet meeting, Mandela attacks Deputy President De Klerk stating that he does not believe that De Klerk was unaware of the indemnity applications. He goes on to question De Klerk's commitment to the RDP programme

At a press conference De Klerk maintains that this attack on his integrity and good faith could seriously jeopardise the future of the government of national unity

Mandela fires his estranged wife, Winnie, from her post as Deputy Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, following a series of controversial issues in which she was involved. She challenges her dismissal in the Supreme Court, claiming that it was unconstitutional. She obtains an affidavit from IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi to the effect that he had not, as a leader of a party in the government of national unity, been consulted about this dismissal. As this is a constitutional requirement, Winnie Mandela is then briefly reinstated before being dismissed again, Mandela having consulted with all party leaders involved in the government of national unity

Following a dispute between the IFP and the ANC regarding international mediation for the new constitution, Buthelezi calls on Zulus to 'rise and resist' any imposed constitutional dispensation. Mandela accuses Buthelezi of encouraging violence and attempting to ferment an uprising against central government. In this context, he threatens to cut off central government funding to Kwazulu Natal, indicating that he would not allow public funds to be used to finance an attempt to overthrow the constitution by violent means. Although a subsequent meeting between the two leaders seems cordial in tone, the matter of mediation remained an unresolved point of conflict

1996

Mandela separates from Nomzamo Winnie Madikizela

1998

Nelson Mandela marries Graca Machel on his eightieth birthday.

2004

Graca Machel chairs a satellite link-up discussion hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation on the social impact of HIV-Aids in southern Africa. It profiles the "46664: Give one minute of your life to Aids" global campaign.

Nelson Mandela addresses the 15th International Aids Conference in Bangkok.

He profiles the work of his "46664" and "Give one minute of your life to Aids" campaign

Nelson Mandela announces in January 2005 his only living son died of an Aids related illness

This timeline and facts about the Great Nelson Mandela's life supplied with permission from South African History Online: www.sahistory.org.za