How Our President Changed My Life
by Amahle Heinu
I have known Nelson Mandela for several years so far and he was a great inspiration to me as you will see by reading this article about my experience with the current President of South Africa .
Over 10 years ago I was a young man of 20 years and a passionate freedom fighter for the black minority in South Africa. In the year 1982 I was involved in an attack against a small group of white politics after a Rugby game. We weren’t intend to hurt any innocent people, but the situation escalated and more than 20 people got hurt really badly. The police got me and my followers and they brought us to the judge. I was sentenced to 5 years of prison. I got separated by my friends and ended up at the "Pollsmoor Prison". I could easily call this the worst time of my life, but also the most instructive time of my life, just because I met Nelson Mandela while being there. He was in his forties and "Pollsmoor Prison" was probably the fourth or fifth prison he had been in so far. For me it was the first one and I was frustrated and desperate. The guards treated us in a bad way and when we were not doing some kind of labor, I was sitting in my cell, planning revenge to the whites. The whites who had brought me in this prison, who had ruined my life and the life of my family. It was shortly after I came to prison when I first saw Mandela. I could see him almost every day passing my cell with a group of other prisoners. I immediately recognized him. Even though he wasn’t as famous as he is these days, but he was well known for me, a freedom-fighter. I would have liked to talk to him. Obviously, this was not possible with the strict control of the guards; so I just kept watching him passing my cell every morning and afternoon.
It was probably two months later when I got a new cell. The former prisoner passed away and I was the one who got his old room, which was right next to Mandela’s. Still, it wasn’t easy to get in touch with him while the guards were watching us. It was almost a week later when I was first able to talk to him. The guard that was supposed to control us was drunk and after swearing at us for quiet an amount of time, he just passed out in a corner. We were by us own. I still remember this moment as it was yesterday. Mandela in my neighbor cell quit watching the guard and looked at me. His face seemed old and wise, but still full of action. He inspected me from top to bottom and then asked me in his deep voice: “And who are you, son?”. This were the first words he ever spoke to me and the beginning of many following long conversations. I told him about my past and what I had done to fight Apartheid. I also talked about my plans and revenge I had when I would get out of prison. I remember how quiet he was while I was telling him everything. After I finished, he looked at me for a long time till I was getting nervous. He then took a deep breath and spoke in a slow voice to me: “Listen son, I was just a young man as you are now. I had fought for my people, against white minority and for justice. A few years ago I had the feeling my message got ignored by the people, my actions weren’t good enough. So I decided to use violence to mark my message. Now I know it was the wrong choice. It is good to fight for your freedom and your rights, but do you think it is acceptable to use violence against the people who treat us bad? If you do, you are not better than them”. I was surprised about his statement. I had never thought about this point of view. Revenge for my people had always been my goal, fight against injustice. Revenge by using violence.
Mandela's words gave me something new to think about. They changed me. At this point of time I understood that injustice can’t be fought by more injustice. This man, in my neighbor cell, during the possible worst time of my life, was able to change my whole life. I was really impressed by Nelson Mandela and my respect for him got even bigger.
A month later I got transferred into a different prison. I stayed there for the rest of the 5 years I was sentenced. The time I spent there was not better than in the former one, but my attitude had changed. I still wanted revenge, but this time without hurting anyone. I figured out slogans, ideas for protests and other nonviolent actions. After I got released from jail, I continued fighting for the freedom of the black population of South Africa. I traveled around the country, organizing protests and speeches for freedom. After Nelson Mandela finally got released from prison I went to all of his speeches he gave in South Africa, walked with him at the protests, sang freedom songs with him and obviously voted for his party. I was filled with joy when he got elected President of South Africa and I can’t imagine a better head of our country. Mandela is a man with knowledge about history, law and much more, but more important knowledge about life and doing the right things. I’m so glad that I was able to meet him and that he changed my life and the ones of all South Africans.
by Amahle Heinu
I have known Nelson Mandela for several years so far and he was a great inspiration to me as you will see by reading this article about my experience with the current President of South Africa .
Over 10 years ago I was a young man of 20 years and a passionate freedom fighter for the black minority in South Africa. In the year 1982 I was involved in an attack against a small group of white politics after a Rugby game. We weren’t intend to hurt any innocent people, but the situation escalated and more than 20 people got hurt really badly. The police got me and my followers and they brought us to the judge. I was sentenced to 5 years of prison. I got separated by my friends and ended up at the "Pollsmoor Prison". I could easily call this the worst time of my life, but also the most instructive time of my life, just because I met Nelson Mandela while being there. He was in his forties and "Pollsmoor Prison" was probably the fourth or fifth prison he had been in so far. For me it was the first one and I was frustrated and desperate. The guards treated us in a bad way and when we were not doing some kind of labor, I was sitting in my cell, planning revenge to the whites. The whites who had brought me in this prison, who had ruined my life and the life of my family. It was shortly after I came to prison when I first saw Mandela. I could see him almost every day passing my cell with a group of other prisoners. I immediately recognized him. Even though he wasn’t as famous as he is these days, but he was well known for me, a freedom-fighter. I would have liked to talk to him. Obviously, this was not possible with the strict control of the guards; so I just kept watching him passing my cell every morning and afternoon.
It was probably two months later when I got a new cell. The former prisoner passed away and I was the one who got his old room, which was right next to Mandela’s. Still, it wasn’t easy to get in touch with him while the guards were watching us. It was almost a week later when I was first able to talk to him. The guard that was supposed to control us was drunk and after swearing at us for quiet an amount of time, he just passed out in a corner. We were by us own. I still remember this moment as it was yesterday. Mandela in my neighbor cell quit watching the guard and looked at me. His face seemed old and wise, but still full of action. He inspected me from top to bottom and then asked me in his deep voice: “And who are you, son?”. This were the first words he ever spoke to me and the beginning of many following long conversations. I told him about my past and what I had done to fight Apartheid. I also talked about my plans and revenge I had when I would get out of prison. I remember how quiet he was while I was telling him everything. After I finished, he looked at me for a long time till I was getting nervous. He then took a deep breath and spoke in a slow voice to me: “Listen son, I was just a young man as you are now. I had fought for my people, against white minority and for justice. A few years ago I had the feeling my message got ignored by the people, my actions weren’t good enough. So I decided to use violence to mark my message. Now I know it was the wrong choice. It is good to fight for your freedom and your rights, but do you think it is acceptable to use violence against the people who treat us bad? If you do, you are not better than them”. I was surprised about his statement. I had never thought about this point of view. Revenge for my people had always been my goal, fight against injustice. Revenge by using violence.
Mandela's words gave me something new to think about. They changed me. At this point of time I understood that injustice can’t be fought by more injustice. This man, in my neighbor cell, during the possible worst time of my life, was able to change my whole life. I was really impressed by Nelson Mandela and my respect for him got even bigger.
A month later I got transferred into a different prison. I stayed there for the rest of the 5 years I was sentenced. The time I spent there was not better than in the former one, but my attitude had changed. I still wanted revenge, but this time without hurting anyone. I figured out slogans, ideas for protests and other nonviolent actions. After I got released from jail, I continued fighting for the freedom of the black population of South Africa. I traveled around the country, organizing protests and speeches for freedom. After Nelson Mandela finally got released from prison I went to all of his speeches he gave in South Africa, walked with him at the protests, sang freedom songs with him and obviously voted for his party. I was filled with joy when he got elected President of South Africa and I can’t imagine a better head of our country. Mandela is a man with knowledge about history, law and much more, but more important knowledge about life and doing the right things. I’m so glad that I was able to meet him and that he changed my life and the ones of all South Africans.