Nelson Mandela

Quick Facts

Also Known As Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela • Madiba Mandela
Born July 18, 1918 • South Africa
Died December 5, 2013 (aged 95) • Johannesburg • South Africa
Title / Office president (1994-1999), South Africa
Political Affiliation African National Congress • Umkhonto we Sizwe
Awards And Honors Nobel Prize (1993)
Notable Works “Dare Not Linger: The Presidential Years”
Notable Family Members spouse Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
Updated on 2023

Nelson Mandela was South Africa’s first black president, elected after serving time in jail for his anti-apartheid activism. In 1993, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

How much was the Net worth of Nelson Mandela?

At the time of his passing in December 2013, Nelson Mandela had a $1 million net worth. He was a political activist, anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician, and philanthropist in South Africa. Nelson Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.

75 Best Nelson Mandela Quotes To Inspire You - Parade: Entertainment,  Recipes, Health, Life, Holidays
Nelson Mandela smiling photo Via Parade

Wealth Details

The majority of Mandela’s net worth came in the form of book royalties from his best selling autobiography, 1994’s “Long Walk to Freedom”. When his health was better, Nelson was also a semi-active public speaker.

When he was President, Mandela slashed his salary and then on top of that still gave 1/3 of his pay to South African children’s charities. Mandela’s family engaged in a fairly acrimonious family feud over his wealth toward the end of his life.

Nelson Mandela: Biography, imprisonment, death, family
Nelson Mandela posing for a photo. Via Skabash!

Nelson placed the majority of his wealth into more than a dozen different trust funds that would simultaneously benefit his children and prevent them from further bickering. Because of these trusts, Nelson himself was not an extraordinarily wealthy man at the time of his death. George Bizos, a longtime friend and attorney, stated the following in April 2013:

“If someone thinks he’s a multi-millionaire, they’re mistaken. He’s not an affluent man. For his children and grandchildren, he has a few trusts. His revenues are technically negligible, other than the kindness of people inside and beyond South Africa who aided with the education of the children. He has always stressed that money provided should be utilised for establishing schools and hospitals”.

Nelson Mandela: Who Was He?

Nelson Mandela was a South African politician, philanthropist, and social activist who served as the country’s first black president from 1994 to 1999. Mandela joined the African National Congress in 1942 after being involved in the anti-apartheid campaign in his twenties. He led a peaceful, nonviolent resistance movement against the South African government and its racial policies for 20 years.

Mandela and South African President F.W. de Klerk shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for their work to end the country’s apartheid system. He served as an inspiration to civil rights advocates around the world for centuries to come.

When and Where was Nelson Mandela born?

In the South African province of Cape, in the village of Mvezo, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on July 18, 1918. His middle name in his native Xhosa language means “troublemaker.” Also, his paternal great grandfather ruled the Thembu people in what is now the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.

His father was a local chief and councilor to the monarch. He was a polygamist and had four wives, four sons, and eight daughters. Mandela’s mother was his third marriage, and he grew up in the village of Qunu with his two sisters.

His mother enrolled him at a neighboring Methodist school when he was seven, and it was then that he received the English name “Nelson.” His father passed away from what was considered to be lung disease when he was nine years old.

(Source:NelsonMandelaFoundation)

After his father’s death, his mother sent him to live at a palace in Mqhekezweni, and he placed under the guardianship of a Chief and his wife. He converted to Christianity and enrolled in another Methodist institution.

When he was fifteen, he began his secondary education at Clarkebury Methodist High School, which was one of the largest Western-styled institutions for Africans in the Eastern Cape Province. He enrolled in the University of Fort Hare’s Bachelor of Arts program in 1939, where he majored in English and minored in anthropology, politics, and native administration.

He was active in the school community, taking up ballroom dancing, performing in the drama society’s productions, and teaching Bible studies. Also, he was suspended from the university after participating in a boycott over the poor quality of food and did not return to finish his degree.

Instead, he moved to Johannesburg and enrolled at the University of South Africa in order to finish his education. He made the decision to pursue a legal career after receiving his Bachelor of Arts.

Who was Nelson Mandela married to?

Mandela had three wives: Evelyn Ntoko Mase (1944–58); Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (1958–96), an anti-apartheid activist; and Graça Machel (1998–2013), the widow of Samora Machel, former president of Mozambique (1975–86), and Mandela’s wife at the time of his death in 2013.

When did Nelson Mandela die?

Mandela died in Johannesburg on December 5, 2013. He was 95 years old at the time. His life was recognized and cherished in South Africa and around the world after his death was revealed.

 Photo of Mandela after death(source:TheJapanTimes)

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