Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on 18 July 1918 and died on 5 December 2013. He was a South African anti-apartheid activist who served as the first 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 fostering racial reconciliation.