Q&A: Nelson Mandela’s lawyer. George Bizos, attorney and friend of Mandela, used the courtroom as a battlefield during anti-apartheid struggle. George Bizos was a long-time friend and lawyer of Nelson Mandela [Matthew Cassel/Al Jazeera] While Nelson Mandela will forever be known as the champion of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, ...
While Nelson Mandela will forever be known as the champion of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, there were many unsung heroes who, for decades, fought for the same cause. Teachers, workers, students and many others fought against the country’s apartheid regime from its founding in 1948 until it was brought down with South Africa’s ...
Lawyer George Bizos was one of them. Bizos immigrated to South Africa as a young boy after fleeing his native Greece with his father.
Bizos immigrated to South Africa as a young boy after fleeing his native Greece with his father. He came from the southern coastal town of Vasilitsi, where Allied soldiers sought refuge when the Nazis occupied Greece in 1941.
Outside his Johannesburg home in 2012, Bizos spoke to Al Jazeera’s Matthew Cassel about his lifelong fight for justice in South Africa.
One of the students that led the protests was Nelson Mandela. He spoke regularly during lunch hour meetings and even though I was a first-year student (he was four years ahead), we became friends in 1948.
Bizos: Yes , it was an event. His admission [into the bar] was an event and we succeeded in the review court and the magistrate was forced to recuse himself from the case. Because [Mandela’s] client complained that the magistrate behaved against his choice of advocate, and he wanted that lawyer to continue to defend him but the magistrate was making it impossible. The judge agreed.
Mandela the Lawyer - by R Gerber. For over two decades, from 1941 to 1961, Nelson Mandela was a member of the organized legal profession in South Africa: an articled clerk, a professional assistant, a sole practitioner and well as practicing in partnership.
For over two decades, from 1941 to 1961, Nelson Mandela was a member of the organized legal profession in South Africa: an articled clerk, a professional assistant, a sole practitioner and well as practicing in partnership.
Nelson Mandela was born on 18 July 1918 at Mvezo, a tiny village on the banks of the Mbase River, in the district of Umtata, and spent most of his early years at Qunu. His father’s family were members of the royal clan and councillors to the Thembu king. They traced their lineage to King Ngubengcuka (c1790-1830) who had united the Thembu kingdom, which was a loose agglomeration of chieftaincies. Nelson Mandela was aged nine when his father, Henry Gadla died. Shortly before his death his father had arranged for the young Mandela to live with the Thembu Paramount Chief-Jongintaba, the regent of the Paramount Kingdom.
Nelson Mandela was aged nine when his father, Henry Gadla died. Shortly before his death his father had arranged for the young Mandela to live with the Thembu Paramount Chief-Jongintaba, the regent of the Paramount Kingdom.
Shortly before his death his father had arranged for the young Mandela to live with the Thembu Paramount Chief-Jongintaba, the regent of the Paramount Kingdom. The Rondavel at The Great Place in Mqhekezweni where Mandela lived as a child, in the care of Jongintaba.
Soon thereafter he was taken in the regent’s car to Clarkebury College, which was founded by the Methodist Missionaries in 1825 when the Thembu King, Ngubengcuka, granted them land. Here Mandela showed promise as a student, completing his Junior Certificate in the reduced time of 2 years.
Mandela's first wife Evelyn with their two sons Thembi & Makgatho - late 1940's. One of the first people Nelson and his brother Justin called on was Dr Xuma, the recently elected president of the ANC and a family friend. He referred them to a Mr Wellbeloved who sent them for jobs at Crown Mines.
Mandela was born on 18 July 1918 in the village of Mvezo in Umtata, then part of South Africa's Cape Province. Given the forename Rolihlahla, a Xhosa term colloquially meaning "troublemaker", in later years he became known by his clan name, Madiba. His patrilineal great-grandfather, Ngubengcuka, was king of the Thembu people in the Transkeian Territories of South Africa's modern Eastern Cape province. One of Ngubengcuka's sons, named Mandela, was Nelson's grandfather and the source of his surname. Because Mandela was the king's child by a wife of the Ixhiba clan, a so-called "Left-Hand House", the descendants of his cadet branch of the royal family were morganatic, ineligible to inherit the throne but recognised as hereditary royal councillors.
After he passed his BA exams in early 1943, Mandela returned to Johannesburg to follow a political path as a lawyer rather than become a privy councillor in Thembuland. He later stated that he experienced no epiphany, but that he "simply found [himself] doing so, and could not do otherwise.".
Having devoted his time to politics, Mandela failed his final year at Witwatersrand three times; he was ultimately denied his degree in December 1949.
In September 1953, Andrew Kunene read out Mandela's "No Easy Walk to Freedom" speech at a Transvaal ANC meeting; the title was taken from a quote by Indian independence leader Jawaharlal Nehru, a seminal influence on Mandela's thought. The speech laid out a contingency plan for a scenario in which the ANC was banned.
Mandela held secret meetings with reporters, and after the government failed to prevent the strike, he warned them that many anti-apartheid activists would soon resort to violence through groups like the PAC's Poqo. He believed that the ANC should form an armed group to channel some of this violence in a controlled direction, convincing both ANC leader Albert Luthuli —who was morally opposed to violence—and allied activist groups of its necessity.
The ANC decided to send Mandela as a delegate to the February 1962 meeting of the Pan-African Freedom Movement for East, Central and Southern Africa (PAFMECSA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Leaving South Africa in secret via Bechuanaland, on his way Mandela visited Tanganyika and met with its president, Julius Nyerere.
In 1970, Commander Piet Badenhorst became commanding officer.
Nelson Mandela, born Rolihlahla Mandela in 1918, is one of the most famous people in modern history and continues to be so even after his passing in 2013. Mandela is synonymous with the fighting of oppression more generally, but also in bringing about the end of the Apartheid system that ruled over South Africa for more than 40 years.
Tomorrow is Nelson Mandela Day, and to celebrate the icon that was Nelson Mandela, this article focuses upon his legal career and his approach to representing those who required justice.
Son of a chief, Nelson Mandela studied law and became one of South Africa's first black lawyers. Early in the 1950s he was elected leader of the youth wing of the ANC (African National Congress) liberation movement. When the country's white minority government prohibited the ANC in 1960, Mandela became convinced that armed struggle was inevitable. Inspired by the guerrilla wars in Algeria and Cuba, he organized a military underground movement that engaged in sabotage. In 1962 he was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment for high treason and conspiracy against the state.
Inspired by the guerrilla wars in Algeria and Cuba, he organized a military underground movement that engaged in sabotage.
Twelve laureates were awarded a Nobel Prize in 2020, for achievements that have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind. Their work and discoveries range from the formation of black holes and genetic scissors to efforts to combat hunger and develop new auction formats. See them all presented here.
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, also known as Madiba, was born Rolihlahla Mandela on July 18, 1918, in Mvezo, South Africa; the name Nelson was later added by one of his teachers. His father, the chief of the Madiba clan of the Xhosa -speaking Tembu people, died when Nelson was still young, and he was raised by Jongintaba, the regent of the Tembu.
Nelson Mandela died on December 5, 2013, in Johannesburg. He was 95 years old. After his death was announced, his life was remembered and celebrated in South Africa as well as around the world. Numerous memorial services were held, including one by the South African government on December 10. He was laid to rest at Qunu, in South Africa’s Eastern ...
Nelson Mandela had three wives: Evelyn Ntoko Mase (1944–58); Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (1958–96), who was also a noteworthy anti- apartheid champion; and Graça Machel (1998–2013), who was the widow of Samora Machel, former president of Mozambique (1975–86), and was Mandela’s wife at the time of his death in 2013.
Nelson Mandela was the son of Chief Henry Mandela of the Madiba clan of the Xhosa-speaking Tembu people. After his father’s death, young Nelson was raised by Jongintaba, the regent of the Tembu. Nelson renounced his claim to the chieftainship to become a lawyer. He attended South African Native College (later the University of Fort Hare) and studied law at the University of the Witwatersrand; he later passed the qualification exam to become a lawyer. In 1944 he joined the African National Congress (ANC), a Black-liberation group, and became a leader of its Youth League. That same year he met and married Evelyn Ntoko Mase. Mandela subsequently held other ANC leadership positions, through which he helped revitalize the organization and oppose the apartheid policies of the ruling National Party.
In 1955 he was involved in drafting the Freedom Charter, a document calling for nonracial social democracy in South Africa. Mandela’s antiapartheid activism made him a frequent target of the authorities. Starting in 1952, he was intermittently banned (severely restricted in travel, association, and speech).
Mandela went on trial that same year and eventually was acquitted in 1961.
Shortly after his release, Mandela was chosen deputy president of the ANC; he became president of the party in July 1991.
1940. Mandela was elected to the Student Representative Council (SRC) at Fort Hare. After he became embroiled in general student dissatisfaction with boarding house food and a very low SRC poll, he followed his conscience and resigned. The head of the University gave him a choice: either he accepts the post or he leaves the university.
Mandela was elected to the Student Representative Council (SRC) at Fort Hare. After he became embroiled in general student dissatisfaction with boarding house food and a very low SRC poll, he followed his conscience and resigned. The head of the University gave him a choice: either he accepts the post or he leaves the university. He was given until the end of the university holidays to decide. When he returned home, the regent ordered him to return to university after the holidays and take up his seat on the SRC. However, Mandela felt that there was a principle at stake and refused to return under the conditions laid down by the rector. Like his late father, Mandela stood by his principles and refused to bend to authority. This is a strong and recurring trait of his personality.
He was given until the end of the university holidays to decide. When he returned home, the regent ordered him to return to university after the holidays and take up his seat on the SRC. However, Mandela felt that there was a principle at stake and refused to return under the conditions laid down by the rector.
The Regent, Chief Jongintaba, informed Mandela and his son, Justice, that he had chosen brides for them and had made arrangements for them to be married. Both young men were unhappy about this, but kept their displeasure to themselves. They made plans to leave the region for Johannesburg and stole a cow from the regent's herd to raise funds for their trip. As they couldn't leave the area without the permission of the magistrate, they lied to obtain a travel permit and set out for Johannesburg.
That same year, Mandela was introduced to Albertina Totiwe a trainee nurse. She in turn introduced him to her boyfriend, a young business man and estate agent Walter Sisulu and the two men become acquaintances and soon friends. The ANC congress resolves to review its position on women membership. Dr.
Mandela stayed in "Dark City", the poorest section of Alexandra Township named for its absence of electricity. He later said, "Alexandra occupies a treasured place in my heart. It was the first place I lived away from home." This broadened his perspective by exposure to Sotho-, Swazi-, Zulu-, etc. speaking people. Nelson Mandela completed a BA degree through correspondence.
He later said, "Alexandra occupies a treasured place in my heart. It was the first place I lived away from home.". This broadened his perspective by exposure to Sotho-, Swazi-, Zulu-, etc. speaking people. Nelson Mandela completed a BA degree through correspondence.
Not only were the white law firms often too expensive for Blacks, but Mandela found out through his own investigation that many of the blue-chip firms “charged Africans even higher fees for criminal and civil cases than they did their far wealthier white clients.” 1. Nelson Mandela, A Long Walk to Freedom 128 (1994).
As a leader of the African National Congress, Mandela eagerly participated in both strategic and tactical deliberations with his ANC colleagues, helping to craft the political and legal ideas that would one day drag a country kicking and screaming from the brink of civil war to the aspiration of truth and reconciliation.
However, few have recognized that the values that Mandela put his life on the line for-democracy, human rights, and the rule of law —are the highest values of the legal profession, shared by many lawyers around the world. In all likelihood, Mandela’s life in the law played a significant role in the formation of his character as ...
The presidency of Nelson Mandela began on 10 May 1994, when Nelson Mandela, an anti- apartheid activist, lawyer, and former political prisoner, was inaugurated as President of South Africa, and ended on 14 June 1999. He was the first non-White head of state in South African history, as well as the first to take office following the dismantling ...
When Mandela began his term on 10 May 1994 , he presided over the transition from minority rule and apartheid, winning international respect for his advocacy of national and international reconciliation.
When Mandela began his term on 10 May 1994, he presided over the transition from minority rule and apartheid, winning international respect for his advocacy of national and international reconciliation. Mandela encouraged Black South Africans to get behind the previously hated Springboks (the South African national rugby team) ...
Mandela encouraged Black South Africans to get behind the previously hated Springboks (the South African national rugby team) as South Africa hosted the 1995 Rugby World Cup. (This is the theme of the 2009 film Invictus .)
After the Springboks won an epic final over New Zealand, Mandela presented the trophy to captain Francois Pienaar, an Afrikaner, wearing a Springbok shirt with Pienaar's own number 6 on the back. This was widely seen as a major step in the reconciliation of White and Black South Africans.
1996. In 1996, Mandela divorced his estranged wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. Thabo Mbeki became the sole deputy president of South Africa in June as a result of F. W. de Klerk 's resignation from joint office. In July that year, Mandela confirmed that he would not be seeking re-election to the presidency in 1999.
A further three years elapsed until Mandela's offer was repeated to Major's successor, Tony Blair, when Mandela visited London in July 1997. Later during the same year, at the 1997 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) at Edinburgh in October 1997, Mandela warned:
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and political leader who served as the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country's first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election. His government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid by tackling institutionalised racism and fostering racial reco…