One of the greatest barriers to transfer of power was the fear amongst the white population that black Africans would take revenge. It is one of Nelson Mandela's greatest achievements that he managed to persuade both the white-only government that no such revenge would take place and also the black majority, oppressed and humiliated for so long, not to take revenge.\n
\nDespite having developed a climate seeped with hate and vengeance amongst the South African black people, Nelson Mandela succeeded in diffusing the tensions and allowing the hate to be given expression in a non-violent way. He set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Anyone who gave a full and honest account of their actions would be given immunity from prosecution, providing the actions were politically and not criminally motivated. This Commission heard testimony over a ten year period from many thousands of people, from people in the white-only government, from people in the police, from people in the army, from blacks involved in violent activities against whites and from blacks involved in violent activities against blacks. During this period, strong, burly, racist white bullies were reduced to tears as they recounted the horrors of their actions. Victims and their families finally received full accounts of what happened to their loved ones and why. Perpetrators confronted their victims and their inner demons as one. Through incessant support and direction, Nelson Mandela maintained the dignity of his people by insisting that black racism was no more or less unacceptable than white racism and that there should be no vengeance.\n
\nIn the first free elections held in 1994, the ANC won 62% of the votes and Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the country's first black President, with de Klerk as his first deputy and Thabo Mbeki as the second in the Government of National Unity.\n
\nNelson Mandela will be remembered for many of his speeches and actions. But perhaps one of his actions that best highlights the greatness of the man is one of the simplest. In 1995, South Africa hosted the Rugby World Cup. Rugby had been a sport from which blacks were banned. So the South African team had been entirely white. The team, known as the Springboks, had been reviled by blacks as the symbol of their repression. Nelson Mandela urged blacks to support their rugby team. The team reached the final. Before the match, the 75 year old, graying President Mandela, walked into the changing room - wearing the very symbol of Apartheid that was so reviled by blacks - the Springboks rugby shirt. He went to each player to wish him luck. The captain, Fancoise Peinaar, later said that the presence of Mandela wearing the \"Springbok on his heart\" was so special that \"I just couldn't sing our anthem because I emotional. I was so proud to be a South African.\" South Africa won. The sight of the black President leading out the team and standing shoulder to shoulder with the South African team singing the new, evocative National Anthem, Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika (God Bless Africa), before match and then, after the thrilling match, beaming with joy, presenting the World Cup to the South African Rugby team captain, won over both white and black Africans alike. The rainbow nation had come of age.\n
", "slide": "With the birth of democracy in South Africa in 1994, Nelson Mandela was resoundingly elected President.\n
\nOne of his first tasks was to ward off calls for revenge against the brutal white rulers who had traumatised the Black population for so long. Combining charisma, charm and wisdom, Mandela persuaded the population about the merits of avoiding past mistakes of their dominance over another racial group. \n
\nHe even managed to find a non-violent outlet for the pent-up fury in the form of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission which provided immunity for political acts of violence in exchange for perpetrators facing up to their victims with a full and accurate account of their actions.\n
", "sources": "", "Feedback": "", "title": "A Democratic South Africa"}