Unity in action: A photographic history of the African National Congress, South Africa, 1912-1982

by Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Winnie Mandela

Oliver Tambo had this to say in launching the Unity in Action campaign highlighted in this coffee table The names of the founding fathers are in the minds of many of the oppressed people of our country today as we commemorate the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the African National Congress. One of these, Pixley ka Izaka Seme, had declared in 1906: "The brighter day is rising upon Africa... Yes, the regeneration of Africa belongs to this new and powerful period. The African people... possess a common fundamental sentiment which is everywhere manifest...On this, our 70th anniversary, we call upon our people, and on our allies and supporters to make 1982 a Year of Unity in Action with the intensification of our assault on all fronts. We call upon our working people, the backbone of our liberation movement to mobilise as never before at the point of production to build a powerful democratic trade union movement for the advancement of the interests of the workers and their activisation into the struggle for the victory of the national democratic revolution. The year of the 70th anniversary of the ANC has been proclaimed by that august body, the General Assembly of the United Nations, as the year of mobilisation for the implementation of sanctions against apartheid.(2) We urge that all those who truly wish to see an end to the inhuman system of apartheid should, acting in unity, seize this opportunity to ensure that the Pretoria regime is isolated as never before. Failure to do this will condemn our people and those of southern Africa in particular and in the end, the rest of mankind, to a terrible bloodletting that will forever remain a blot on the conscience of the entire humanity. Today we commemorate with deserved pride the 70th anniversary of our national union. This is a historic occasion which has been made possible by the sacrifices which our people have made throughout these years and the support of the world democratic movement.

Paperback

Published January 1, 1982

About the author

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a former President of South Africa, the first to be elected in a fully representative democratic election, who held office from 1994–99.

Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of the African National Congress's armed wing Umkhonto we Sizwe. The South African courts convicted him on charges of sabotage, as well as other crimes committed while he led the movement against apartheid. In accordance with his conviction, Mandela served 27 years in prison, spending many of these years on Robben Island.

In South Africa he is often known as Madiba, an honorary title adopted by elders of Mandela's clan. The title has come to be synonymous with Nelson Mandela.

Following his release from prison on 11 February 1990, Mandela supported reconciliation and negotiation, and helped lead the transition towards multi-racial democracy in South Africa. Since the end of apartheid, many have frequently praised Mandela, including former opponents. Mandela has received more than one hundred awards over four decades, most notably the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

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