Prisoner to President - By Laura Nixon 5RI

Prisoner to President

Nelson Mandela was born in a small town called Mveso on the 18^th of July 1918. Nelson’s real name is Rolihlahla which in Xhosa means ‘troublemaker’. When he was a bit older he used to swim rivers with his friends and steal honey from bee hives; he also used to have fun stick fights with his friends.

At the age of seven his father sent him to school. Nelson completed his junior certificate in only two years!! His family was very poor and didn’t have much money so he didn’t get very fancy school clothes. Sadly, when Nelson was nine years old his father died.

When his father died Nelson’s mother sent Nelson to live with his very wealthy uncle Jongi, who had a son called Justice. At the age of sixteen Nelson’s uncle sent him to boarding school. Nelson was twenty-one when his uncle sent him to University. In University he met lots of different people from lots of different countries.

Nelson and Justice ran away from home because his uncle had arranged a marriage for Nelson that he wanted no part of. They travelled seven-hundred miles away to Johannesburg.

Nelson Mandela was sent to prison FOR LIFE because he protested about white people taking over black peoples countries. In prison he was given a small bucket for a toilet. After twenty-seven years (not a life time) Nelson came out of prison.

He came out of prison years earlier than he should have because the old president that put Nelson into prison he died but the new president didn’t think that it was fair for Nelson to be in prison so F.W. de Klerk (the new president) let Nelson out or jail on the 11^th of February 1990. Amazingly, four years after he was let out of prison he became the president of Africa.

By Laura Nixon 5RI