Today is Nelson Mandela’s 91st birthday. I have never met or seen this great man in real life, so unfortunately I don’t have a nice photo (taken by myself) of Madiba to post.
The picture below was taken at his birthplace in Qunu in the former Transkei. Qunu is near Mthata (Umtata) in the Eastern Cape.
It was here in Qunu that Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on 18 July 1918. He is also known worldwide as Madiba, an honorary title adopted by elders of Mandela’s clan.
Mandela was an anti-apartheit activist, and the leader of the African National Congress’s armed wing Umkhonto we Sizwe. He was convicted in the Rivonia Trail which led to him going to prison for 27 years in prison, spending many of these years on Robben Island. Following his release from prison on 11 February 1990, Mandela supported reconciliation and negotiation, and helped lead the transition towards multi-racial democracy in South Africa. In 1994 he became the first democratically elected president of South Africa. In 1993 he received the Nobel Peace Prize and is currently a celebrated elder statesman who continues to voice his opinion on topical issues.
Yours truly standing at the Madiba statue in Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton, Johannesburg on my recent visit there
That's a beautiful view. Nice tribute to a great man.