How did Mandela’s ‘hunger for freedom’ change his life?
Answer:
How did Mandela hunger for freedom change his life: During his adolescence, Mandela found that not just his freedom, but the freedom of all Black citizens, was being restricted. His desire for liberty became a desire for freedom shared by all of his brothers and sisters. The timid man was changed into a fearless system rebel as a result of this.
- Mandela sacrificed the comforts of stable family life in order to fight for the freedom of his compatriots.
- He became a member of the African National Congress, which transformed him from a fearful young man into a courageous fighter against racial prejudice and injustice.
- In 1961, he was arrested, but the same year he founded the ‘Umkhonto we Sizwe’ (Spear of the Nation or MK), a group dedicated to armed resistance to apartheid.
- Mandela left the country for military training in Algeria and to organize for other MK members to receive training as well.
- He was detained upon his return for unlawfully leaving the country and inciting a strike. He was in charge of his own defence. In November 1962, he was found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison.
- During his term, he was charged with sabotage and convicted to life in jail in the Rivonia Trial.
- He was imprisoned on Robben Island for the first 18 years of his life. He was eventually moved to Pollsmoor Prison. On February 11th, 1990, Nelson Mandela was released from prison.