This Day in History: 27 April 2020
27 April 1994
26 years ago, today, South Africa held its first multiracial elections, as more than 22 million citizens came to cast their vote, choosing Nelson Mandela to lead them. In his earlier years, Mandela advocated for nonviolence in resistance to South Africa's apartheid system, consisting of white supremacy and racial segregation. However, this was broken after the massacre of peaceful black demonstrators in 1960, as Mandela helped to organise a paramilitary branch of the African National Congress, in order to engage in guerrilla warfare. Later, he would face many years in prison and on trial and would even be convicted to life in prison in 1964, while still remaining as the symbolic leader of the anti-apartheid movement.
Mandela was released from prison in 1990 when F.W. de Klerk became South Africa's president, and began to take apartheid to pieces. Both were awarded a joint Nobel Peace Prize in 1993, for their work establishing a multiracial government and ending apartheid. In their first free elections, the overwhelmingly large majority chose Mandela to head a new coalition government that would include his African National Congress Party, the National Party and the Inkatha Freedom Party. Soon after, in May, Mandela was instituted as president, becoming the nation's first black head of state, keeping this position until 1999. Following these elections, 27 April became a national public holiday, named Freedom Day.
Want to find out more about the first free votes held in South Africa? Click here for more information, or here for a news report from the day.
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