Was Nelson Mandela a Hero? - Essay Sample

Introduction

Nelson Mandela was a decorated leader, a symbol of peace and forgiveness who spearheaded the end of the apartheid-era, bringing into effect racial democracy. However, the bigger question is, was Mandela, a hero? There have been countless leaders, but few are recognised as heroes. It is, therefore, crucial to first understand who a hero is. According to Cipriano (2014), the Chief Executive Officer of the All Humanity Group, a hero is a warrior who overcomes oppressors. A hero is also someone who risked their lives for the sake of others. Nelson Mandela, by these definitions, fits the requirements of a hero. Mandela, also called Rolihlahla, which means troublemaker, sacrificed his life in the quest to free South Africa from apartheid rule (Boehmer, 2008). During the rise to prominence of Mandela, South Africa was bleeding, racism ingrained in their culture with Blacks suffering under the leadership of their white British colonisers. The rights of Black South Africans were non-existent as they could not vote, own businesses, and were issued with passes to allow movement outside their restricted areas (Willard, 2007). Therefore, South Africa needed a hero, someone who would rise against this regime. Mandela rose to the occasion stopping at nothing. Despite being incarcerated for 27 years and six months, Mandela eventually delivered South Africa (Lodge, 2006). Mandela was a highly respected leader lauded for his struggle for freedom so much that writers such as Tom Lodge (2006) referred to him as a Messiah. However, Mandela, as he often confessed, was not a saint and made some decisions that question his legitimacy as a hero. Although some of the decisions and actions of Nelson Mandela were questionable, including the use of violence, he helped put an end to apartheid with minimal bloodshed hence putting South Africa on a path to recovery, thus earning him the status of a hero.

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The Use of Non-Violent Techniques

Mandela believed in the use of non-violent techniques, which earned him the admiration of both blacks and whites. As the leader of the Africa National Congress (ANC), Mandela organised peaceful protests across South Africa. This approach though not favoured by some earned ANC, many followers who were keen to avoid bloodshed.

Mandela was not keen on chasing whites from South Africa but rather finding a way for all races to live together in harmony. This ideology was reflected in the freedom charter of the ANC, which called for a country of both blacks and whites living in brotherhood with equal rights and opportunities (Willard, 2007). The non-violent approach was similar to the one adopted by Martin Luther King, who managed to achieve milestones in the quest for equality in the United States. However, Mandela, at some point, turned to violence, which led to his incarceration. But, in the end, Mandela regretted the decision to use violence and turned to peaceful negotiations, which led to the end of the apartheid era.

The Ultimate Price of Incarceration

Nelson Mandela sacrificed his youth after being sentenced for life in prison following allegations of treason. Mandela advocated for peaceful protests for several years, but at some point, he realised that it was not yielding results. Therefore, he organised for guerrilla welfare, which would use violence to attract the attention of the government. The use of violence has always been a hot button.

When the U.S. launched atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki to put an end to the war in Vietnam, some defended the decision deeming it necessary. The deployment of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, a form of violence, has also gained support over the years. The case of Mandela was not ant different. The government was stubborn and refused to negotiate with them. The situation escalated in 1960 when police were ordered to open fire to protestors leading to the loss of 67 lives and scores of people injured (Willard, 2007). This bloodshed is what led Mandela to turn to the use of violence.

Unfortunately, the use of violence turned out to be Mandela’s undoing as he was imprisoned for life. Mandela spent his youth in prison and was at one time urinated on by wardens for protesting their treatment in prison (Lodge, 2006). It is important to note that Mandela was imprisoned not because of his selfish desires or greed for money but rather for the freedom of South Africa, the mark of a true hero.

Separation of Mandela from his Wife, Winnie

The sacrifices of Mandela did not stop in prison. After being released from prison, Mandela called for peaceful negotiations to avoid loss of lives. However, his wife, Winnie, had also joined the political fray. Contrary to Mandela, Winnie advocated for the use of violence. As a result, there was a clash of interests and tensions.

Mandela being the hero he was made another sacrifice by separating from his wife (Mistry, 2002). Once again, Mandela put the interests of the nation first, breaking up his family despite his love for his wife. As a result of this sacrifice, Mandela gained more believers who saw his unwavering quest to put an end to apartheid without violence.

The Deliverance of South Africa

After several years of fighting, determination, and persistence, Mandela led South Africa to the end of the apartheid rule. A hero cannot be deemed as one unless they bring change. If Mandela had made all those sacrifices and not enacted change, he would probably not be called a hero. Despite being incarcerated, Mandela remained positive working from inside prison. Eventually, the government was forced to negotiate. Mandela forgave his jailors, putting any differences they had for the greater good of the country. Mandela played a key role in the negotiations as he called on blacks to be patient and trust the process. In the end, a deal was brokered, which put the interests of both whites and blacks into consideration hence ushering in a new era of equality.

Mandela was rewarded by being elected the President of South Africa in 1994 (Willard, 2007). He, therefore, set forth to ensure equality, unity, and peace. However, he was forced to make yet another sacrifice. Having fought for so long, Mandela would have chosen to cling to power, as is the case with some African leaders such as Mugabe and Museveni. However, Mandela was 78 years when he was elected president (Mistry, 2002). Due to his time in prison, his body was weak, with loss of hearing, fatigue, and old age limiting his leadership. As a result, he allowed the deputy president to step up to power and help with the day to day running of the government. In the end, South Africa began its long journey towards recovery thanks to the exploits of Nelson Mandela, their hero.

The Failures of Nelson Mandela

The achievements Mandela accomplished cannot be questioned. However, he made some gruesome mistakes that called to question his heroic status. The decision to use violence was wrong. Martin Luther King was eleven years younger than Mandela, and by 1964 he had made significant strides in the quest for equality (Willard, 2007). This success was attributed to his decision to use non-violent techniques.

However, Mandela, driven by emotions, turned to violence, which led to the ANC being declared a terrorist organization. This declaration meant that Mandela remained on the U.S. watchlist until 2008 (Waxman, 2018). Therefore, Mandela might have delayed the end of apartheid by resulting in violence. Had he stuck to peaceful protests, he would have more likely convinced the whites to negotiate earlier.

Worse, the deal that Mandela brokered was at the expense of blacks (Bundy, 2019). Robert Mugabe once claimed that Mandela was more concerned about the interests of whites than blacks (Campbell, 2013). This was seen as a form of betrayal. Today, black South Africans continue to live in abject poverty with low standards of living. The average lifespan of a white in South Africa is 70 as compared to 50 for blacks (Campbell, 2013). The health system is deplorable, and many blacks do not have access to quality education.

Racism is also part of the country. According to a poll conducted, 43.5 per cent of South Africans do not speak to people of other races (Campbell, 2013). Also, after retiring, Mandela failed to criticize ANC leaders for their corrupt dealings. When the HIV/AIDS epidemic cost the lives of South Africans, he was silent. It was not until the death of his son that he began the push to curb the virus.

Furthermore, in Africa, South Africa currently leads with the highest number of coronavirus patients. According to Shaban (2020), South Africa leads with 15,515 cases, followed by Algeria with half the number. As a result, Nelson Mandela may not be the decorated hero that is painted by the world as he failed to ensure racial equality, whose effects are visible today.

Conclusion

Nelson Mandela was a renounced leader who helped deliver South Africa from apartheid. He was a hero, by all means, incarcerated for his actions, losing his best years. Prison did not stop his desires as he continued to nurture his dream of racial reconciliation. Finally, he helped negotiate for a deal that put an end to apartheid. However, as is th case with all heroes, Mandela made mistakes. Although he made some mistakes, Nelson Mandela was a legitimate hero who sacrificed his life, his freedom, his marriage to save South Africa.

References

Boehmer, E. (2008). Nelson Mandela: A very short introduction. Oxford Publishers.

Bundy, C. (2019). Editorial: The challenge of rethinking Mandela. Journal of Southern African Studies, 45(6), 997-1012. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057070.2019.1697553

Campbell, J. (2013, Dec. 6). Think again: Nelson Mandela. Foreign Policy. https://foreignpolicy.com/2013/12/06/think-again-nelson-mandela/

Ciprianoo, R. (2014, Aug. 7). What is a hero? HuffPost. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/what-is-a-hero_b_5560441Lodge, T (2006). Mandela: A critical life. Oxford University Press.

Mistry, J. (2002, Dec. 18). Mandela: Humanitarian hero. Eurozine. https://www.eurozine.com/mandela-humanitarian-hero/

Shaban, A. (2020, May 18). Coronavirus in Africa: 84,521 cases; 2,759 deaths; 32,322 recoveries. Africa News. https://www.africanews.com/2020/05/18/coronavirus-in-africa-breakdown-of-infected-virus-free-countries/

Waxman, O. (2018, July 18). The U.S. government had Nelson Mandela on terrorist watch lists until 2008. Here's why. Time. https://time.com/5338569/nelson-mandela-terror-list/

Willard, S. C. (2007). Modern peacemakers: Nelson Mandela. Chelsea House Publishers.

Annotated Bibliography

Bundy, C. (2019). Editorial: The challenge of rethinking Mandela. Journal of Southern African Studies, 45(6), 997-1012. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057070.2019.1697553

This journal article provided insight into the failures of Nelson Mandela. Due to his unwavering support, few authors have dared question the heroism of Mandela. However, Bundy goes on to explain why blacks in South Africa felt that Mandela sold them out to whites. This view of Mandela as a betrayer called for further research on the current status of blacks in South Africa to show the impact he had. However, the article is limited by its one-sided approach. By showing the negative aspects of Mandela, the reader is unable to make a decision as to whether he was a hero or not.

Waxman, O. (2018, July 18). The U.S. government had Nelson Mandela on terrorist watch lists until 2008. Here's why. Time. https://time.com/5338569/nelson-mandela-terror-list/

This newspaper article focused mainly on the failures of Nelson Mandela that tainted his image. The objective of the paper was to determine whether Mandela was a legitimate hero. Therefore, it was critical to consider the wrong or controversial decisions Mandela made. This articl...