We were expecting Mandela to pass soon but it was still heart breaking.

I’ll never forget the years of violence I witnessed on the news, and from the age of about eight to fourteen seeing these awful events unfold on the television. I can’t imagine living through this, even at a very young age I really felt for these people thousands of miles away. Nelson Mandela seemed an almost mythical figure while he was in prison I couldn’t imagine what he might look like, during this time we only had photos of before he went into prison.

I was born an optimist maybe everyone is and when the Soviet Union crumbled throughout Eastern Europe I felt the whole world would soon be free. But when the young people were murdered at Tiananmen Square in China for protesting for democracy, I was crushed, I was only twelve and I guess it left me a very cynical. After this I never though Mandela would be free (or that the Berlin Wall would come down) and there would be no end to apartheid, I’m so glad I was wrong.
Events seemed to happen so quickly, and in 1990 Nelson Mandela walked free; tall and handsome, arm in arm with Winnie. He didn’t seem angry, or vengeful but passionate and focussed, wise and forgiving, imagine if he hadn’t been, South Africa would perhaps have torn itself apart with retribution and hate, look at Zimbabwe. On my eighteenth birthday (27th April) black and white people stood in line and voted their first black president. So in only a few years he went from being powerless, faceless and voiceless behind bars to being a public figure and leader of his country, it was a profound turn around and I remember weeping for joy watching the telly as a young person, it was just amazing.

I know things in South Africa aren’t perfect yet, but if Mandela hadn’t existed, if he had been executed instead of imprisoned or had come out of prison with any bitterness which would be understandable after what he had been through South Africa now would be a very different place today.

I used to wish I could meet him, but I’m happy I have lived in his lifetime and witnessed this wonderful thing if from afar. I am grateful to him, a light hasn’t gone out the hope and peace is his legacy and lives on.