News – Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

Barack Obama thanks Nelson Mandela for his letter

US President honoured by Madiba’s congratulations

9 March 2009 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

March 9, 2009 – Nelson Mandela has received a letter of thanks from United States President Barack Obama thanking Mr Mandela for his “words of encouragement”.

Mr Mandela sent a letter to the US President at the beginning of the year congratulating him “on taking office as the President of the United States of America”.

Foundation warns public of email scam

“Nelson Mandela Foundation/Fifa World Cup Lottery Draw” a hoax

27 February 2009 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

Feb 27, 2009 – The Nelson Mandela Foundation would like to alert the public that there is an email lottery scam doing the rounds.

People are being sent an email which informs them that their “email address has been selected as one of the winners of the Nelson Mandela Foundation/Fifa World Cup Lottery Draw”.

Anthony Sampson honoured at Nelson Mandela Foundation

Sampson family hand over his South African library to the Centre of Memory

20 February 2009 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory, Publications

Feb 20, 2009 – The autobiography of the late Anthony Sampson, The Anatomist, was launched at the Nelson Mandela Foundation last night. The event marked not only the publication of Sampson’s memoirs but also the handing over of Sampson’s library of South African books to the Centre of Memory.

Born on August 3, 1926, in Billingham, England, Sampson is regarded as one of the greatest journalists and writers of his time.

Note on Valentine’s Day

Madiba reflects on Valentine’s Day

13 February 2009 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

Feb 13, 2008 – In c. 1995 Nelson Mandela responded to a query from a young South African.

Here is an extract from his response:

“It will probably shock many to discover how colossally ignorant I am about simple things the ordinary person takes for granted. Having been born and grown up in a rural environment with parents who could neither read nor write, one hardly ever heard about Valentine’s Day.

Remembering the release of Nelson Mandela

Madiba’s first day of freedom 19 years on

11 February 2009 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

Feb 11, 2009 – Nineteen years ago today, Nelson Mandela was freed after 27 years and five months in prison. The whole world watched him walk through the gates of Victor Verster Prison, but few people know the detail of his first day of freedom.

Anti-apartheid veteran passes away

Foundation mourns the loss of former Treason Trialist and former Member of Parliament

2 February 2009 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

Feb 2, 2009 – Suliman “Solly” Esakjee, a veteran of the anti-apartheid struggle and a co-accused with Nelson Mandela in the 1956 Treason Trial, passed away in hospital last night. He was 79.

Active in the Transvaal Indian Congress (TIC) from 1946, he was also part of the Congress of the People which adopted the Freedom Charter in 1955. Esakjee was also jailed for 30 days for his part in the 1952 Defiance Campaign against unjust laws. He stood trial with 155 others in the 1956 Treason Trial, which continued until March 1961. Charges against him were withdrawn in January 1958.

Nelson Mandela’s Tanzania trips revisited

Foundation receives photos of Mr Mandela’s 1990 visit

26 January 2009 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

Jan 26, 2009 – Nelson Mandela was issued with his first South African passport on February 19, 1990, eight days after he was released from prison. It was this passport (with his second name “Rolihlahla” spelt incorrectly as “Rolilahla”) that he used to embark on a tour of some of the African states that had supported the South African liberation struggle, including Zambia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia.

Nadja Manghezi, who was working at the Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College in Tanzania in March 1990, has recently made photos of Mr Mandela’s visit available to the Nelson Mandela Foundation Archive.

Nelson Mandela congratulates Barack Obama on his inauguration

‘We believe that we are witnessing something truly historic’

20 January 2009 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

Jan 20, 2009 – Herewith the text of Mr Nelson Mandela’s letter to President Obama which was handed to him before his inauguration.

Dear Mister President,

We are greatly honoured to join the millions around the globe congratulating you on taking office as the President of the United States of America. We believe that we are witnessing something truly historic not only in the political annals of your great nation, the United States of America, but of the world.

A comrade remembered

Former Treason Trialist and ANC activist passes away

13 January 2009 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

Jan 13, 2009 – The Nelson Mandela Foundation remembers Cleopas Madoda Nsibande, a long-time comrade in the struggle against apartheid, who passed away on December 26, 2008 at the age of 80.

Nsibande joined the African National Congress in 1951 and was a founder of the South African Congress of Trade Unions (Sactu) in 1955.

He was buried on January 3, 2009 in Tamboville Cemetery after an official funeral attended by President Kgalema Motlanthe and former President Thabo Mbeki. It is the cemetery where his close confidante Oliver Tambo was laid to rest in 1993.

Statement from the Foundation on the death of Helen Suzman

Anti-apartheid icon passes away, aged 91

1 January 2009 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

Jan 1, 2009 – Following the announcement by her family that Helen Suzman passed away at age 91 this morning, I would like to express the deepest condolences from the Nelson Mandela Foundation. Our country has lost a great patriot and a fearless fighter against apartheid.

We remember how Mrs Suzman was one of the very few members of Parliament who protested against apartheid legislation, including the May 1, 1963 promulgation of the General Law Amendment Act or “the Ninety Day Detention Law” – the beginning of South Africa’s notorious system of detention without trial.