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Born
Rolihlahla Mandela was born into the Madiba clan in the village of Mvezo, in the Eastern Cape, on 18 July 1918. His mother was Nonqaphi Nosekeni and his father was Nkosi Mphakanyiswa Gadla Mandela. -
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Primary school
He went to primary school in Qunu and his teacher Miss Mdingane gave him the name Nelson. -
Dad died
In 1930, when he was 12 years old, his father (Nkosi Mphakanyiswa Gadla Mandela) died. -
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Secondary school
He completed his Junior Certificate at Clarkebury Boarding Institute -
Return to the Great Place at Mqhekezweni
On his return to the Great Place at Mqhekezweni the King was furious and said if he didn’t return to Fort Hare he would arrange wives for him and his cousin Justice. -
Bachelor of Arts
Mandela began his studies for a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University College of Fort Hare but did not complete the degree there as he was expelled for joining in a student protest. -
Ran to Johannesburg
Mandela and his cousin Justice ran away to Johannesburg instead, arriving there in 1941. There he worked as a mine security officer -
Politically involved
Mandela was politically involved since 1942 -
Became a member the African National Congress
only joined the African National Congress in 1944 when he helped to form the ANC Youth League (ANCYL). -
He became married
In 1944 he married Walter Sisulu’s cousin, Evelyn Mase -
University
He began studying for an LLB at the University of the Witwatersrand. By his own admission he was a poor student and left the university in 1952 without graduating -
National Volunteer-in-Chief
In year 1952 he was chosen as the National Volunteer-in-Chief of the Defiance Campaign with Maulvi Cachalia as his deputy. -
Got arrested
Mandela was arrested in a countrywide police swoop. -
Treason trial
Men and women of all races found themselves in the dock in the marathon trial that only ended when the last 28 accused -
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Treason Trial
Men and womans from all over the world found themselves in the dock in the marathon trial that only ended when the last 28 accused, including Mandela -
Divorced
He and his wife divorced in 1958 -
Married a social worker
Her name was Winnie Madikizela. They had two daughters, Zenani and Zindziswa. -
The countrys first state of emergency
Mandela and his colleagues in the Treason Trial were among thousands detained during the state of emergency. -
Acquitted
Were acquitted -
Studying in the University of London
He only started studying again through the University of London after his imprisonment in 1962 but also did not complete that degree. -
Left South Africa
On 11 January 1962, using the adopted name David Motsamayi, Mandela secretly left South Africa. -
Mandela's mother died
Mandela’s mother died in 1968 -
Transport to another prison
31 March 1982 Mandela was transferred to Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town -
Diagnosed with tuberculosis.
On 12 August 1988 he was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. -
Release from prison
He was released from a house at Victor Verster Prison on Sunday 11 February 1990, nine days after the unbanning of the ANC and the PAC -
Won the Nobel Peace Prize
In 1993 he and President FW de Klerk jointly won the Nobel Peace Prize -
President
On 10 May 1994 he was inaugurated as South Africa’s first democratically elected President -
Got divorced
Nelson Mandela got divorced to Winnie Madikizela -
80th birthday
On his 80th birthday in 1998 he married Graça Machel, his third wife. -
Stepped down as president
Mandela stepped down in 1999 after one term as president. He continued to work with the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund he set up in 1995 and established the Nelson Mandela Foundation and The Mandela Rhodes Foundation. -
Grandson
In April 2007 his grandson, Mandla Mandela, was installed as head of the Mvezo Traditional Council at a ceremony at the Mvezo Great Place. -
Death
He died at his home in Johannesburg on 5 December 2013. -
Winnie Mandela death
Died 2 April 2018 at the aged of 81 in Johannesburg, South Africa