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From his captivating words during Rivonia's trial in Pretoria from 1963 to 1964 to his first speech as a free man at the Great Parade in 1990, every word of Mandela, like every movement, is well-documented.
His autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom and many other biographies, both authorized and unauthorized, all gave insights into the life of the world-renowned leader.
But these are the letters that he wrote in jail that give a striking view of the man. His sense of humor, his ability to convey his feelings on paper and his desire to be with the people he loved, show how human he was first of all.
The letters are compiled in a book called The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela, which was launched in commemoration of the centenary of his birth this week
The book is edited by former journalist Sahm Venter, with a Preface by Mandela's granddaughter, Zamaswazi Dlamini-Mandela.
This is a collection of letters written by the former statesman when he was jailed at the Pretoria local jail , then to Robben Island and later to Pollsmoor and Victor Verster Prisons for 27 years.
In some of these letters he appealed to the prison authorities and expressed his frustration at the contempt with which his correspondence was received; in others he comforted and encouraged family and comrades.
As a law student at the University of London while he was imprisoned on Robben Island, Mandela often needed books that had never reached him. In a letter dated February 27, 1967, he expressed his frustration to the prison commander for the delays he suffered in the delivery of his study material during the preparation of an examination.
In another letter of November 30, 1964, in which he requested an enrollment form and a sum of R16 to be sent to the British Embbady on the closing date of the application, Mandela further requested the authorization to borrow money from his companion Ahmed Kathrada, which was refused by the prison authorities. ] Signature of a letter to his second wife, Winnie Mandela, from November 1969. Photo: Estate of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela / Nelson Mandela Foundation
His tenacity to continue asking and his willingness not to despair face to the Opposition
In addition to being a student political prisoner, Mandela was a father, a husband and a brother who expressed his feelings freely.
At his first wife, Evelyn Mase, Mandela wrote comforting words to the mother of his four children about the death of their son, Thembekile in an accident.
Mase, a nurse, and Mandela married in 1944.
In The letter, dated July 16, 1969, Mandela writes that he was informed of Thembekile's death by a commander at Robben Island who received a telegram informing him of news.
Thembekile was the second child Mase lost, Mandela writes, referring to the couple's first daughter, Makaziwe, who died as a child. The second Makaziwe is the only surviving child of the couple after Makgatho, Mandla Mandela's father, died in 2005.
He spoke affectionately about his son and was proud of him. He also revealed his understanding of the difficulty for Mase to lose a second child
Mandela wrote that he was anxious to see his son again before the tragic accident.
"In 1967, I wrote him a" I was looking forward to his response and meeting with his family when I came back. "Copyright on Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Estate / Nelson Foundation Mandela
"The blow was just as painful for me in addition to the fact that I had not seen it for at least 60 months. "I did not have the privilege of giving him a wedding ceremony or resting him," Mandela wrote.
"I saw him for the last time five years ago at Rivonia's trial."
"All of these expectations were completely broken because he was abducted at the age of 24 years old and we will never see him again.We should all be comforted and comforted by the fact that he has had a lot of good friends, "he wrote to his ex-wife.
His letters to his second wife, Winnie Madikizela, with whom he had two daughters Zenani and Zindziswa, seemed "
The greeting in these letters varied substantially from" Darling "to" Dadewethu "(sister) with the tone of A loving husband and a comrade at the same time.
"I write to warn you in advance of what awaits us, to allow you to prepare yourself physically and spiritually to take all the force of ruthless blows which I am sure you will be systematically directed from the beginning to the end of the trial, "he wrote in November 1969 before his wife, a freedom fighter, appeared before the court for sabotage in December of the same year.
Weekend Argus
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