This item consists of 1 Warrant of Committal issued to Nelson Mandela by the Magistrate's Court of South Africa. The warrant contains Nelson Mandela's fingerprints.
This item consists of a letter written by Nelson Mandela to the legal firm of Seedat Pillay & Co. that was smuggled out of Robben Island Prison. Mandela wished to appoint the firm to act on his behalf in legal proceedings against the Department of Prisons. Since the authorities refused to allow him contact with his attorneys, he had to use this "illegal" method to seek legal representation.
This item consists of an envelope addressed to the legal firm of Pillay Seedat & Co. For security reasons, Judge Pillay had a family member mail an empty envelope to the firm. This precaution was taken to protect Mac Maharaj and Judge Pillay in the event of an interrogation by Security Police. The Judge could then say that he had received the documents from an unknown source through the post.
This item consists of a letter written by Ahmed Kathrada to the legal firm of Seedat Pillay & Co. that was smuggled out of Robben Island Prison. Kathrada wished to appoint the firm to act on his behalf in legal proceedings against the Department of Prisons. Since the authorities refused to allow him contact with his attorneys, he had to use this "illegal" method to seek legal representation.
This item consists of an envelope addressed to the legal firm of Pillay Seedat & Co. For security reasons, Judge Pillay had a family member mail an empty envelope to the firm. This precaution was taken to protect Mac Maharaj and Judge Pillay in the event of an interrogation by Security Police. The Judge could then say that he had received the documents from an unknown source through the post.
This item consists of 1 Warrant of Committal issued to Nelson Mandela by the Magistrate's Court of South Africa. The warrant contains Nelson Mandela's fingerprints.
This item consists of 1 Warrant of Committal issued to Nelson Mandela by the Supreme Court of South Africa. The warrant contains Nelson Mandela's fingerprints.
One of Nelson Mandela’s greatest achievements is that he is a qualified attorney. In 1953 he established South Africa’s first black law partnership in Johannesburg with his friend and comrade Oliver Tambo. During his long imprisonment he used his knowledge of the law to full effect and advantage. His answer to brutality and bullying as well as harassment and abuses was to turn to the law, whether it was on his own behalf or to assist other prisoners: he would either threaten to take action or to institute legal action. As this story shows, it became an essential protection.
Nelson Mandela is a great reader. At school he read widely, and while in the anti-apartheid struggle, particularly as he was trying to establish a liberation army, he devoured whatever he could on armed struggles all over the world. In prison, he read whatever books he could get his hands on. He is also a great strategist, whether as a young boxer when he strategised about how to outwit his foes in the ring or as a chess player or a political activist, he would always think through his next move. He often spoke of non-violence as a strategy, rather than as a principle. Here he focuses on the strategy of the Russian army.
In the latter part of his imprisonment Nelson Mandela made overtures towards the apartheid regime when he thought the time was right. He was not negotiating, but he was talking to them about the conditions for actual talks between the ruling National Party and the African National Congress. Once he was released from prison on 11 February 1990 he and his colleagues began meeting with the regime. This paved the way for the full-blown multi-party talks at the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (Codesa) which began on 20 December 1991 and ended in 1993 when the date for South Africa’s first democratic elections was announced. Here he talks about the ending of the armed struggle in August 1990.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1984. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1986. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1989. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1980. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1982. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1979. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1987. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1981. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1983. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1976. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1977. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1988. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1989. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1981. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1983. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1988. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1976. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1984. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1980. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1982. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1986. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1987. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
1 page of a printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1979. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.
These four pages consist of Nelson Mandela handwritten notes expresses reservation about the leadership of the ANC who question policy decisions and the Cl conference.
