1963 to 1964: The end of the Rivonia Trial

·     The Judge of their Trial was Mr. Quartus de Wet, he was also president of the Judges of the Transvaal, he was appointed into that position by the British based United Party

Government before they lost power during the 28 May 1948 Elections against the Apartheid National Party.

·     They were all Charged with Sabotage and Conspiracy to overthrow the Government and the maximum Sentence was Death by Hanging.

·     On Monday the 20th of April 1964, during trial Nelson Mandela made the famous ‘I am Prepared to Die’ Speech, which many believed that it also assisted them,

to not be sentenced to Death.

·     On 09 June 1964, just 2 days before Judge de Wet, could Rule on the Rivonia Trial Case, the thenUN Security Council voted & then released a Statement that Stated

that the South African Apartheid Government, must end the Trial & grant amnesty to Nelson Mandela and the other Accused.

·     On Thursday 11 June 1964, within less than a year since the Rivonia Trial, had started, the then Judge De Wet, gave his Verdict and he found the

top 6 Accused all Guilty, on all 4 Charges.

·     Then the Judge Sentenced all of the accused to Life Imprisonment and they smiled while looking at each other and Nelson was 45 years old by that time,

when was Sentenced for life imprisonment.

·     Later on Nelson Strongly believed in his thoughts that International Pressure and National Demonstrations somehow Assisted in putting the Judge to

consider Life Imprisonment and not the Death Penalty.

·     Also that Locally & Internationally the Judge would have been regarded as the Person that killed the Freedom Fighters & his Name, Surname & Legacy

would have been tinted & compromised forever.

·     The Judge would have not been able to can recover from the Negative Perception no matter where he went.

·     Then on that Day, they were taken to the Pretoria Main Prison Cells, then at around Midnight on the same day, they were woken up and told that

they were being Moved to another Prison.

·     All 7 of them, that is Nelson, Andrew, Raymond, Walter, Govan, Kathrada & Elias, were taken on board an Old Military Plane & they flew from Pretoria

to Cape Town & they Landed at the Robben Island Prison.

·     Nelson Mandela was put inside a Prison Cell that was barely big enough to fit him alone and his Cell was Written "N Mandela 466/64", meaning the

Prisoner's name is Nelson Mandela, the 466th Prisoner to be recorded & held at the Robben Island Prison during the Year of 1964.

·     Each day in Robben Island they were woken up at 05:30 in the Morning & then they will open their Prison Doors at around 06:45 every Morning.

·     They bathed with Cold water even during Winter, Supper was Delivered at 04:30 in the Afternoon.

·     While at Robben Island they received their 1st public Visitors except their Lawyers who came Weeks before them, they were 2 Visitors a Reporter & a Photographer

from Daily Telegraph from London in England, which was usually supporting the Apartheid Government’s Side of the Story and little of the Prisoners side of the Story.

·     The Reporters Name was Mr. Newton and they took a photo of both Nelson and Walter Sisulu in Robben Island while they were busy talking.

1964 to 1969: Robben Islands Prison & H.F. Verwoerd is Assassinated

·     Winnie tried to go to visit Nelson in Robben Island as soon as she could but during those times she was a Banned person & only the Minister of Justice could

approve for her to can Travel and to Visit Nelson.

·     Nelson found out that Winnie had received her 2nd Ban and she was dismissed from work as a Social Worker at the Child Welfare Office as a Result of this 2nd ban.

·     At some point in time Winnie was not able to visit Nelson at Robben Island for a Period of 2 Years.

·     At the end of 1965 the International Red Cross was allowed by the Apartheid Government to Visit Robben Island and Rivonia Trialists which included

Nelson Mandela & the others.

·     Then Nelson noticed that the Apartheid Government Respected & Feared the International Red Cross

·     Nelson was interviewed by one of their Representatives & he gave him a List of things, that they needed the Apartheid Prison should Change & then

afterwards the Prison started to make those listed Changes..

·     In 1966, Winnie and Nelson decided to take their Daughters Zenani and Zindzi to Attend Boarding school in Swaziland where they should receive

better Education, they were 6 & 7 years old at that time.

·     In 1966 the Transvaal Law Society tried again to Remove Nelson from the list of Practicing Attorneys, this was them trying to remove him for the 2nd time,

they had failed to remove him 10 years before.

·     On 6 September 1966, The Prime Minister H.F. Verwoerd was Assassinated in Cape Town by Dimitri Tsafendas who stabbed Hendrik F. Verwoerd

about 4 times, on the Neck and also on the Chest.

·     Around the next day as Nelson & others were about ready to eat, another Prisoner came towards them with food & He whispered to them: Verwoerd is dead,

they did not appreciate the news of his Assassination.

·     On 10 September 1966, H.F Verwoerd’s State funeral was held in Pretoria & then The National Party Voted for John Vorster to be their

Prime Minister of South Africa to replace him after his untimely death.

·     John Vorster’s full birth names are Balthazar Johannes Voster, aka B.J Voster.

·     ANC President Chief Albert Luthuli, passed away on July in 1967, apparently he was hit by a train near his home, Nelson & the others were already

in Robben Island and they could not attend his Funeral.

·     In 1968, in around September, Nelson was visited by 4 Visitors that is his Mother Nosekeni Fanny, his son Makgatho, Makaziwe his Daughter &

his Sister Mabel, while he was still in Robben Islands.

·     Nelson Noticed that her Mother had lost weight & wasn’t looking as well as she did during the Trial.

·     On 24 September 1968, Nelson Mandela’s Mother passed away just a few weeks after she had visited him

·     But Nelson could not go to attend his Mother’s Funeral, the Prison warders feared that other people might over power them during the Funeral & escape

with him, even if Nelson did not approve their escape plans.

·     Nelson’s Mother Nosekeni Fanny died, at the age of 74, due to a stomach illness according to her Death Certificate, but people around her believed

that she died because of a Heart attack.

·     On Monday 12th May 1969, police went to Winnie’s house in Orlando & arrested her without a charge.

·     Winnie was arrested in front of her 2 children, who were about 9 & 10 years Old respectively.

·     She was Charged after being about 6 Months in prison, She was Charged for attempting to revive the ANC & the State withdrew its case after about 1 year and 5 Months. 

·     On Sunday 13th July in 1969, Nelson Mandela’s 1st born Son Madiba Thembekile (Thembi) Mandela fatally passed away during a Car Accident in the Western Cape.

·     Thembi was 24 years Old, when he passed away & Nelson was also denied to attend his Son’s Funeral.

·     When Thembi passed away, he had 2 Children, who were still very young in age at that time.

·     In 1974, Winnie was arrested for 6 Month’s & sent to the Kroonstad Prison for breaking her banning orders, she was visited by a friend when the banning

only allowed her to be visited by her 2 Daughters only.

·     In July of 1975, as Nelson was turning 57 years old, Walter and Kathrada asked Nelson to write his Biography in secrete, as he was a banned person & it was

against Law for anyone to read or to write a story or a book about him or to even share or to have a Photo of Nelson or of any other banned person was illegal.

·     The Plan was for Nelson to write his Biography & then when Mac Maharaj was to be released in 1976, will smuggle the Biography out of Prison

with him & it was planned that it could be published internationally.