The PFA are remembering Nelson Mandela on what would have been his 100th birthday today.
On February 11th 1990, Nelson Mandela walked out of Victor Verster Prison in Paarl a free man.
Describing himself as a “humble servant of you, the people” in his address, Mandela created history as he spoke.
Mandela closed the speech by referencing a famous line from his address that he had given at his trial in 1964:
"I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have carried the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunity. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But, if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die."
The huge public support that Nelson Mandela held upon his release later carried him all the way to the presidency during South Africa’s first multi-racial election in 1994.
His administration replaced the racist white-minority regime that had enforced segregation of black and white people in a policy known as apartheid.
On the day of his inauguration, the new president addressed the nation, outlining his vision for South Africa and a future free of racial violence: “We enter into a covenant that we shall build the society in which all South Africans, both black and white, will be able to walk tall, without any fear in their hearts, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity—a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world.”
"The epitome of statesmanship, peace, unity, reconciliation and solidarity.
Gordon Taylor OBE, PFA Chief Executive on Nelson Mandela.
As well as Mandela's achievements as a great political statesman, his use of sport will also endure as part of his lasting legacy.
He believed sport could unite people irrespective of colour, creed, race, religion and politics and recognised that sport could help bring his country together following strict racial segregation: "Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, it has the power to unite people, in a way that little else does."
It was a sporting success that will remain as one of the defining moments in Mandela's unifying agenda. Just a year after being elected president in 1994, South Africa hosted the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
South Africa won the tournament with a victory against favourites New Zealand, leading to one of the most iconic sporting moments of the century when Mr. Mandela handed Springboks captain Francois Pienaar the trophy.
The PFA endeavour to support this ethos with continued international work in South Africa.
PFA staff annually visit the country under the guidance of John Hudson, Director of Corporate Social Responsibilities, using sport and football in particular to create lasting relationships and to encourage youth empowerment in the townships through education, awareness and tackling issues such as drug and alcohol misuse, HIV/AIDs and homelessness.
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