Nelson Mandela ends long journey to freedom and reconciliation

Nelson Mandela’s “long journey to freedom” has come to an end. The former South African President, who is admired as the symbol of the country’s democratization, died at 8:50 p.m. on Thursday (local time). He was 95. In an urgent statement, South African President Jacob Zuma mourned the death of the Nobel laureate in peace, saying, “Our beloved Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, the founding president of our democratic nation has departed. Nelson Mandela brought us together and it is together that we will bid him farewell.” Rolihlahla is Mandela’s original name, which means “mischievous boy.”

He served 27 years and six months in prison for leading the African National Congress to fight Apartheid, or racial segregation policy by the white-led government. Then, he became South Africa’s first Black president, and launched the “committee on truth and reconciliation,” and pardoned White people who confessed to their wrongdoings, in displaying leadership of forgiveness and reconciliation to seek peaceful coexistence.