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17 views

Google Keep Document-5

Uploaded by

yashaswirai9
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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"To be free is not merely to cast off one's chain but to live in a way that respects and enhances

the freedom of others."

In the words of Desmond Tutu, "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the
side of the oppressor."

Today, I stand before you to shed light on a dark chapter in human history - apartheid. Do you
know about it? It was a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination, was a
blight on the conscience of South Africa and the world at large.

Imagine a society where your opportunities are determined not by your abilities or efforts, but by
the color of your skin. First of all, that sounds pretty dumb to me but This was the reality under
apartheid, where racial classification dictated every aspect of life - from where you could live
and work to which schools you could attend.

But how did the system emerge in the first place?

The roots of apartheid can be traced back to colonial oppression by the Dutch and British
people. The early 20th century saw the formalization of segregationist policies through laws
such as the Native Land Act of 1913, which restricted land ownership for non-whites, and the
Pass Laws which you might be aware about as, which controlled the movement of black people.

Apartheid policies were rigorously enforced through mechanisms such as separate residential
areas (townships), segregated schools, hospitals, beaches, and public transport. Interracial
marriage and social interaction were also prohibited.

What caused such a dreadful system to end?

Throughout the apartheid era, there were significant internal resistance movements led by
organizations such as the African National Congress (ANC), the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC),
and trade unions. These movements organized protests, strikes, and acts of civil disobedience
to challenge apartheid policies.

The leadership changes within the South African government also played a role in the end of
apartheid. In 1989, F.W. de Klerk became the president of South Africa and initiated a series of
reforms aimed at dismantling apartheid.

The leadership changes within the South African government also played a role in the end of
apartheid. In 1989, F.W. de Klerk became the president of South Africa and initiated a series of
reforms aimed at dismantling apartheid.

Nelson Mandela, the person you're gonna study about in the upcoming chapter is the key figure
in liberating south Africa from decades of oppression.

Mandela like me and you was a common man, but you're well aware that don't underestimate
the power of a common man.

Mandela joined the ANC in the 1940s and became increasingly involved in anti-apartheid
activism.
His activism led to his arrest and subsequent trial in the Rivonia Trial in 1963, where he was
sentenced to life imprisonment for his anti-apartheid activities.

Mandela's imprisonment for 27 years transformed him into a symbol of resistance against
apartheid.

Klerk's government engaged in negotiations with anti-apartheid leaders, including Nelson


Mandela, who was released from prison in 1990 after 27 years of incarceration. These
negotiations led to the unbanning of political organizations, the release of political prisoners, and
the repeal of discriminatory laws.

In 1994, South Africa held its first democratic elections, with Nelson Mandela as the ANC's
candidate for president. The elections were peaceful and marked a historic moment as people
of all races queued up to cast their votes for the first time in a democratic South Africa.

Madela won and became the first Black president of South Africa. The chapter that you're about
to explore will tell you more about the journey, inspiration and dedication of Mandela for his
people and his country. It will tell you about a man who sacrificed his whole life so that people
like him could have a life ahead.

As we conclude I'll tell you my favourite lines from the chapter as said by Nelson Mandela
It was this desire for the freedom of
my people to live their lives with dignity and self respect that animated my life, that transformed
a frightened young man into a bold one, that drove a law-abiding attorney to become a criminal,
that turned afamily-loving husband into a man without a home, that forced a life-loving man to
live like a
monk.

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