This title has come to be synonymous with Nelson Mandela. In South Africa he is often known as Madiba, an aristocratic title adopted by the elderly members of the royal clan that he belongs to. Mandela died on 5 December 2013, a celebrated elder statesman who continued to voice his opinion on topical issues. Since the end of apartheid, he was widely praised, even by former opponents. The rest of his incarceration was in Pollsmoor Prison, on convictions for crimes that included sabotage committed while he spearheaded the struggle against apartheid.įollowing his release from prison on 11 February 1990, his advocacy of a policy of reconciliation and negotiation helped lead the transition to multi-racial democracy in South Africa. He spent 27 years in prison, much of it in a cell on Robben Island. He was the first such African to be elected in fully representative democratic polls.īefore his presidency, Mandela was an anti- apartheid activist and leader of the African National Congress and its armed wing Umkhonto we Sizwe.
Mandela received more than 260 awards over 40 years, most notably the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.įrom 1994 to 1999, Mandela was President of South Africa.
This is a comprehensive list of awards, honours and other recognitions bestowed on Nelson Mandela.
