Television pictures of Nelson Mandela, the jailed South African nationalist leader, taken on the 13 February 1986.These were taken by an American camera crew at Medipark Clinic in Cape Town where Mandela was being taken for a medical check up.
British members of Parliament taking part in the campaign to mobilise world opinion over the sentence of Nelson Mandela in South Africa. Petition with 91000 signatures from groups representing 258 million people in 29 countries calling for the release of all South African political prisoners. In South Africa Mrs. Mandela spoke about her husband, Nelson Mandela, the leader of the banned African National Congress who is imprisoned for life with seven others. 15 June 1964
All eight men found guilty in South Africa's sabotage trial were sentenced to life imprisonment. Nelson Mandela the 46 year old former chief of banned African National Congress and the other seven were found guilty of sabotage and plotting to overthrow the government. Mr. Justice Quartus De Wet pronounced the guilt of eight men. A crowd of some 500 people stood silently outside the court as police stood ready to quell disturbances. In the crowd were Nelson Mandela 's wife Winnie and Mrs. Sisulu. Mrs. Mandela was allowed into the court after an argument with a police officer. When she came outside she explained to the Africans waiting outside, that the sentences would be announced on that day. When the crowd heard the verdict they raised their fists. The sign of Amandla the African National Congress party and chanted- 12 June 1962
Commonwealth leaders meeting / Lockerbie trial : Nelson Mandela has caused a controversy by siding with Colonel Gaddafi in the diplomatic wrangle over how to bring the Lockerbie bombers to justice. He has called for a fair trial in a neutral country for the two Libyans accuses of the attack.
Opening session of the South African Parliament 17-02-1995. President Mandela said government money was not limitless and that care has to be taken. He warned anarchists that they would not be tolerated.
The African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela has alleged that widespread sabotage is taking place in the current election. Polling stations in areas predominated by black voters have run out of ballot papers and voting has been extended for an extra day.
Mediators Lord Carrington and Henry Kissinger today admitted defeat in their attempts to get Inkatha to take part in the forthcoming elections. Both the ANC and the government insisted that there could be no discussion of Inkatha ' s demands that the elections date be delayed. The news comes on the day that the ANC president Nelson Mandela and President De Klerk have been appearing in their one and only television debate on how parties are waging their election campaigns.
ANC leader Nelson Mandela inaugurated as the first black president of South Africa on 1--05-1994. The ceremony passed without incident despite a heavy security operation. Britain was represented by the Duke of Edinburg and foreign Sec Douglas Hurd.
The deputy president of South African Kgalema Motlanthe attends Nelson Mandela's release anniversary and pay tribute to the celebrated freedom charter. 12 -02-2010.
Former president Mr. Nelson Mandela celebrates his birthday with South African children. Nelson Mandela took time out to celebrate his 89th birthday with children at his annual children's party, tributes continue to pour in for South Africa's anti- apartheid icon.
Mr. Nelson Mandela former Transvaal president of the banned African National Congress, appeared in court on charges of incitement and leaving South Africa illegally. The trial transferred from Johannesburg to Pretoria on security grounds. The trial was adjourned for a week to give Mr. Mandela time to appoint defense counsel. Mr Mandela was remanded in custody. Mr Mandela was dressed in tribal dress. Attending the trial was his wife, Mrs. Winnie Mandela and his sister, Ms Leabi Mandela. The courtroom packed with supporters of Mr. Mandela, Mr Mandela that his counsel was unable to appear for him because he was confined to Johannesburg under the suppression of Communism act. Mr. Mandela said the sudden transfer of the trial to Pretoria had deprived him of his attorney services. 17 October 1962
The Queen' s visit to South Africa since 1947. On the 21st March 1995 the Queen awarded the honorary order of Merit upon Nelson Mandela, and told the Parliament that South Africa's spirit of reconciliation was shining example to the world.
Nelson Mandela's first television interview on the 21- 6- 1961. Footage on some black workers defying stay away strike call by Nelson Mandela and going to work.
Nelson Mandela president of the ANC and chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi of the Inkatha Freedom Party have agreed of measures to end the violence between their supporters, but they remain split on political issues. They failed to agree on election date for the country's first multiracial elections. The leaders had not met for two years 23-6-1993
Country files compiled by Tom Sargant arranged by country and reflecting related aspect of justice and law in the British colonies and dependent territories. Events in South Africa are covered in some depth over three decades and the most file focuses on the Rivonia trial and opponents of Apartheid. The records detail a large proportion of the ANC leadership detained, including its president , Chief Albert Luthuli, Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu as well as other opponents of Apartheid such as Helen Joseph the secretary of the South African Women's Federation. Also includes schedule of the charges faced by the defendants in the first treason trail.
Bernie Grant collection documents the concerns of numerous oppressed peoples of and diverse communities the material includes an official invitation and programme to the inauguration of Nelson Mandela, footage and newspaper articles.
Malcolm Frederick folder includes a letter to Whoopee Goldberg and Nelson Mandela's response to Miriam Makeba regarding the Children of Africa charity event.
The personal papers of Mary Benson. The collection includes: Nelson Mandela’s statement from the dock at the Rivonia Trial. Correspondence, reports and statements about the treatment of political prisoners in South Africa; Reports by the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) and Amnesty International. Attempts to publicise the conditions of prisoners, particularly Nelson Mandela, and information about the medical treatment of prisoners. Papers related to Nelson Mandela’s imprisonment, collected by Benson when writing her biography of Mandela, "Nelson Mandela: the Man and the Movement." Correspondence between Mandela and Mary Benson and between Benson and others people mainly related to Mandela and campaigns for his release from prison. Correspondents include Helen Suzman, Elinor Birley, Hilda Bernstein, Oliver Tambo, Winnie Mandela, Denis Healey and Ismail Ayob. Typed notes on Mandela and other prisoners, as well as lists of political prisoners. News clippings concerning Mandela, mainly from British newspapers. Includes reports on the dropping of negligence charges against Mandela in 1967.
The personal papers of Ruth First The collection is made up of background material, correspondence and reviews concerning "No Easy Walk to Freedom" edited by Ruth First. Printed copies of Nelson Mandela’s speech at the Rivonia Trial. Drafts of sections of the book, and a typescript of Mary Benson’s statement before the UN Special Committee on Apartheid in 1964, with handwritten alterations. Correspondence, mainly between Ruth First and Heinemann Publishers, as well as clippings of newspaper reviews. Material on political detention between 1963 and 1970, including a copy of the 1963 Detention Act, a radio script by Mary Benson entitled "Nelson Mandela and the Rivonia Trial," and notes produced by Ruth First. Press releases and conference papers concerning the Symposium on the exploitation of Blacks in South Africa and Namibia, organized by the United Nations in 1978, with observances of the 60th birthday of Nelson Mandela. Transcripts of interviews with Robben Island political prisoners. Correspondence from friends and acquaintances, and materials from South African newspapers concerning the Rivonia Trial.
Photocopies of papers collected by Joel Joffe, lawyer acting for Nelson Mandela, relating to Nelson Mandela's trial in Pretoria 1962 and the Rivonia Trial (1963-1964) The collection includes Nelson Mandela's application to have the Pretoria trial postponed, October 1962; Nelson Mandela's address to the court in mitigation of the sentence of five years imprisonment detailing his political commitment and activities in the African National Congress (ANC), November1962; copy of the indictment in the Rivonia trial, initial statement made by Nelson Mandela to his lawyers, giving details of his early life, notes by Nelson Mandela on his life and his association; copy of Nelson Mandela's statement from the dock, signed by Nelson Mandela referring to an Imbizo.
This archive will eventually contain the digital reproduction of every page, article and advert published in the Guardian (since 1821) and the Observer (since 1791). Currently it is up to 2000. A search for Rivonia Trial reveals articles from both newspapers.
Amnesty International was founded in 1961 in London as an independent organisation to mobilise public opinion in defence of people who are imprisoned because their ideas are unacceptable to the government in their country. One of their areas of work is campaigning for the release of political prisoners and actions against torture.
The WRI was established in 1921 as an organisation against war. Its members refuse to support war or preparations for war in various forms, such as refusing to engage in military service, pay taxes to support the military, etc. It is fundamentally committed to nonviolent action as a form of social struggle. WRI has provided training in nonviolence and held a number of international conferences. WRI was involved with solidarity work with the End Conscription Campaign and the Conscientious Objectors Support Group, which was formally affiliated with WRI.
Len Holden was a Bedford Council member, and founder of the Bedford Anti-Apartheid Group. The group was active from the 1980s until 1991, lobbying companies and politicians to boycott the apartheid regime. Holden was also active in the Bedford Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament throughout the 1980s.
Justice, the British section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) was established in 1957 in response to the arrest of people in South Africa in 1956 (which led to the Treason Trial). It sent observers to the trial. It sees itself as an expert, independent body rather than a pressure group and its main aim is to observe the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by securing fair trials, especially political trials of opponents of apartheid.
Sir Patrick was Vice Chairman of the British Section of the Inter Parliamentary Union (1974 - 1984) and Chairman of the British Bahrain, British Maltese, British South Africa and British Taiwan Groups. He represented Britain at the 17th General Assembly of the United Nations in 1962. The introduction of the General Law Amendment Act, the Rivonia Trials and the United Nations conference on sanctions are some of the more significant topics on which files were accumulated in the early 1960s [DPW/48/484; 487; 486 & 488].
This collection is made up of all the videos, audio and photographic material from the 46664 campaigns, concerts and birthday messages to Nelson Mandela. The first concert was held at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa on the 23 of November 2003. The second concert was held at Fancourt country club and golf estate in George, Western Cape, South Africa in 2005. The third was a two day Festival in Spain Madrid. The fourth one was held in London Hyde Park in 2008. The fifth one was held in Johannesburg, Ellis Park as a 46664 HIV and AIDS awareness campaign on the 1st of December2007. In 2009 the concert was held at the Radio city hall in New York, the celebration included Nelson Mandela's birthday celebration and the launch of the international Mandela day as July 18th was recognised as a day dedicated to serve others in ones community. .
COSAWR was founded in 1978 by South African draft (military service) resisters active in the UK. It was a self-help organisation for those escaping conscription in the SADF and to support those who were resisting conscription within the country. It raised the issue of militarism in South Africa and conducted research into the South African military structure and resistance to it. COSAWR established a presence in several other European countries. Its magazine 'Resister' became the leading magazine on South Africa's militarisation.
RSN Class actuality- concept report by Freek Robinson on the Mandela tribute concert at Wembley in London with the actuality of Mr Nelson Mandela who attacks the Thatcher government's stand on sanctions.
Amnesty International was founded in 1961 in London as an independent organisation to mobilise public opinion in defence of people who are imprisoned because their ideas are unacceptable to the government in their country. One of their areas of work is campaigning for the release of political prisoners and actions against torture.
Activities in Scotland started in the 1960s with AAM branches in Glasgow and Edinburgh, leading to the establishment of the Scottish Committee and opening an office in 1989. It was active in boycott campaigns, support to South African anti-apartheid organisations, the End Loans to South Africa campaigns and the call for comprehensive sanctions. It had a women’s subcommittee, youth desk and a trade union subcommittee as well as a Scottish Committee for Local Authority Action against Apartheid. It dissolved in 1994 and continued as Action for Southern Africa Scotland (ACTSA Scotland).
The City of London Anti-Apartheid Group was a breakaway group of the national AAM, founded in 1982 by Norma Kitson, and allied to the Revolutionary Communist Group. City Group developed a close working relationship not only with the ANC and SWAPO, but also with the Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC), AZAPO, and Black Consciousness supporters. In 1985 City Group was expelled from the national AAM, and from 1986 - 1990 its supporters maintained a Non-Stop Picket outside the South African Embassy in Trafalgar Square calling for the release of Nelson Mandela. The City Group archives provide an opportunity to understand a different perspective on the international anti-apartheid movement.
IDAF started in 1956 as Christian Action, later becoming the British Defence and Aid Fund which started its work with the 1956 Treason Trial in South Africa. IDAF became an international organisation in 1965. The South African Defence and Aid Fund was banned in 1966. Over the years, many national affiliates and branches were set-up. It smuggled millions of pounds into South Africa to defend thousands of political activists and provided aid to their families. It paid lawyers to defend political detainees and provided financial support families of political prisoners. It published numerous books and films on repression in South Africa.
