Key dates in the life of Mandela

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July 18, 1918-Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is born in Transkei,now Eastern Cape. 1944- Mandela, together with Oliver Tambo and Walter Sisulu founds the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League.

July 18, 1918-Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is born in Transkei,now Eastern Cape.

1944– Mandela, together with Oliver Tambo and Walter Sisulu founds the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League.

In the same year he marries first wife Evelyn, and they had a daughter and two sons before divorcing in 1957. 1952– Mandela and others are arrested and charged under apartheid regime’s Suppression of Communism Act and they get a suspended prison sentence. He is elected deputy national ANC president. 1958– Mandela marries Winnie Madikizela

1962– After leaving the country secretly, Mandela goes for military training in Algeria and returns to South Africa. He is captured and sentenced to five years for incitement and illegally leaving the country.

1963– Mandela is charged with conspiracy and sabotage.

June 12, 1964– Mandela and seven others get life imprisonment on Robben Island, off Cape Town.

February 2, 1990– As pressure mounted on the apartheid regime, F.W. de Klerk, South Africa’s last white president, lifts ban on (ANC) and other liberation movements.

February 11, 1990– Mandela is freed from imprisonment and a year later he is elected president of the ANC and in 1993 he and F.W. de Klerk win a Nobel Peace Prize.

1992- Mandela and Winnie divorce.

May 10, 1994– After winning South Africa’s first post-apartheid elections, Mandela is inaugurated in Pretoria to become the country’s first black president.

July 18, 1998– Marries Graca Machel, widow to Mozambican President Samora Machel.

June 16, 1999– Mandela retires and hands over power to Thabo Mbeki. 2004– At 85, amid failing health, Mandela retires from public life.

11 July 2010 – Mandela attended the closing ceremony of the FIFA world cup where he and his wife Graca Machel were driven around the stadium and waved at fans.

December 5, 2013– After a long illness, Mandela dies.