Australia campaigned for Nelson Mandela’s freedom but disappointed indigenous Australians by not wanting to ‘interfere’

BORN a century ago today, Mandela was a hero to millions of people worldwide but he disappointed indigenous Australians when he visited in 1990.

Nelson Mandela, with (from left) Ron Edwards MP, prime minister Bob Hawke and senator Kerry Sibraa, was a guest of honour at a reception in the Great Hall of Parliament House, Canberra, on October 23, 1990.

AFTERanti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1990, he went on a world tour to thank those countries that played a part in his liberation and had campaigned to end racial segregation and discrimination.

High on his list of countries to visit was Australia. This was partly because we had been among the strongest campaigners against apartheid. But Mandela’s admiration of Australia also came from our shared love of cricket.

When former Australian prime minister Malcolm Fraser, in his role as the head of the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group campaigning against apartheid, visited Mandela in prison in 1987, Mandela asked: “Tell me, Mr Fraser, is Donald Bradman still alive?” During his visit to Australia in 1990 Mandela was presented with a cricket bat signed by Bradman.

But the Australian visit was not without controversy. Indigenous leaders, many of whom regarded Mandela as a hero and had been active anti-apartheid campaigners, were hopeful Mandela would champion issues relating to the treatment of Aborigines. Those hopes were dashed when he said nothing.

Nelson Mandela as a lawyer in 1961.

When Mandela arrived at Parliament House in Canberra, indigenous activist Michael Mansell was seen waving an Aboriginal flag and asking “What about Aborigines, Mr Mandela? Why doesn’t someone say something about the Aboriginal people in this country?”

Mandela later explained that he didn’t want to “interfere” in the internal politics of another country. Some saw this is as a cop-out given that other nations had done all they could to interfere in apartheid.

Despite this Mandela remained an inspiration to many for his struggle to free his people from white oppression. His life has even become the subject of a new musical, Madiba, opening in Melbourne in October and coming to Sydney in November.

Born on July 18, 1918, 100 years ago today, in Mvezo, the son of a chief of the Madiba clan of the Tembu people, he was given the name Rolihlahla, which in the Xhosa language means troublemaker. The first in his family to attend school, on his first day at school his teacher gave him the name Nelson.

His father died when he was nine, leaving him as chief, but he later gave up the title to pursue a law career. While studying at the South African Native College (later named the University of Fort Hare) he met Oliver Tambo, who became a long-time friend.

He became an activist while studying at the University of Witwatersrand and in 1944 joined the African National Congress (ANC), an organisation fighting white domination.

Prime minister Bob Hawke introduces South African politician Nelson Mandela to Nick Bolkus (back to camera), Robert Ray (rear) and Ros Kelly in October 1990.

When the National Party gained power in South Africa in 1948 they began imposing the system known as apartheid (separateness), enforcing old racial legislation and imposing new laws to separate blacks and whites and ensure white political supremacy. Mandela began handling cases covered by the racist legislation. In 1952 he and Tambo established South Africa’s first black law practice specialising in fighting apartheid laws.

Mandela was originally committed to peaceful resistance, but the increase of violence against blacks, such as the 1960 massacre of protesters at Sharpeville, moved him toward guerrilla tactics.

In 1963, on trial for treason, sabotage and conspiring to commit violent acts, Mandela gave a speech admitting some of his crimes but saying he was prepared to die for the ideal of a “democratic and free society”. He was sent to prison in 1964.

During his time behind bars, Mandela had very limited contact with the outside world, but South Africans continued to agitate for the dismantling of apartheid. By the 1970s the campaign to end South Africa’s racist policies had become global, sanctions were imposed and South Africa found itself an international pariah. In the 1980s the anti-apartheid movement gained more momentum. The campaign to liberate Mandela from prison was part of the focus. The song Free Nelson Mandela was composed by the British ska band The Specials, becoming an anthem for the movement.

Bob Hawke would later say that when they met in 1990 Mandela told him privately: “I want you to know, Bob, that I am here today, at this time, because of you.” Hawke was among the many Commonwealth leaders who, at a CHOGM conference in Canada in 1987, formulated the plan to attack the apartheid regime by imposing a boycott on foreign investment in South Africa.

The boycott worked better than sanctions and, along with a number of other factors, brought the regime to its knees, resulting in negotiations between the government and the ANC leading to Mandela’s release in 1990.

Elected president of the ANC in 1991, Mandela went on to become president of South Africa in the country’s first election in which blacks had an equal vote. He served as president until 1999. After leaving office he found other causes to champion until he retired from public life due to ill health in 2004. He died in 2013 of a lung infection.