CANDLELIT CHRONICLES: HISTORIC HAUNTS

20th Anniversary: Nelson Mandela's Freedom

On February 11, 1990, Nelson Mandela, South Africa's elder statesman of colour, walked free from the Victor Verster Prison near Cape Town, South Africa. His imprisonment began with a 1964 trial for sabotage. In 1994 he was elected South Africa's first black president.





Although there has been progress in moving black South Africans out from under the oppression of apartheid (a significant black middle class now exists, in addition to some wealthy blacks), problems are still rife. Many rural clinics are understaffed or not staffed at all, and South Africa claims the notorious distinction of the highest prevalence on the planet of HIV and AIDS. The crime rate is extensive, with 50 murders daily the average. This is ONE nation, not a continent! And of course, with this enormous murder rate comes an equally high incidence of rape and other violence. Unemployment is "officially" 24%, and the gap between rich and poor is wider than in any other nation.





http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/africa/20-Year-Anniversary-of-Mandelas-Rele...