Today in Birthdays: Nelson Mandela (1918 - 2013)
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader and philanthropist who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country's first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election.
His government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid by tackling institutionalized racism and fostering racial reconciliation. Ideologically an African nationalist and socialist, he served as the president of the African National Congress (ANC) party from 1991 to 1997.
Although initially committed to non-violent protest, in association with the SACP he co-founded the militant Umkhonto we Sizwe in 1961 and led a sabotage campaign against the government. He was arrested and imprisoned in 1962, and subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment for conspiring to overthrow the state following the Rivonia Trial. Mandela served 27 years in prison.
Amid growing domestic and international pressure, and with fears of a racial civil war, President F. W. de Klerk released him in 1990. Mandela and de Klerk led efforts to negotiate an end to apartheid, which resulted in the 1994 multiracial general election in which Mandela led the ANC to victory and became president.
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Barcelona have confirmed they will travel to play a friendly against newly crowned South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns on 16 May.
Sundowns had announced the match last week but the final details took time to organise causing speculation over whether it would actually take place, but the Spanish side confirmed the game on social media.
The South African side also managed to persuade Guinean side Horoya and the Confederation of African Football to postpone their Champions League tie by a week.
The match at Soccer City, on the outskirts of Johannesburg, is the second time that Sundowns have brought the Spanish champions out for a friendly match.
Barcelona have two games left this season as they aim for an unbeaten La Liga campaign, they play away at Levante on Sunday and Real Sociedad a week later with the South Africa trip in between.
