Nelson Mandela Dies At The Age Of 95

Nelson Mandela Dies At The Age Of 95

Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president and historically, one of the most important figures in the struggle for human rights has passed away this Thursday at the age of 95.

The news was made public by current South African president Jacob Zuma on state television. There, he announced that the cause of death was the recurring lung infections the former president suffered from. Mandela was predisposed to them after he battled tuberculosis he contracted whilst detained as a political prisoner.

The former president retired from the public spectrum for some years due to his advanced age, however, he remained a strong symbol to South Africans due to his battle against the nations apartheid regime.

Admitted five times in two years to the hospital due to his lung condition, Madiba as most South African’s referred to Nelson Mandela was living in a sterile environment at home with doctors watching him 24 hours a day.

According to his daughter, Makaziwe, Mandela was inspiring even through his last days, teaching those around him about patience, love and tolerance. Born in 1918 and imprisoned for 27 years, Mandela’s presidency of South Africa was a prosperous time. Economic growth, a new constitution that guaranteed equality among all citizens, freedom of the press, and commissions that investigated the horrors caused by the apartheid regime are some of Nelson Mandela’s biggest achievements.

Posted by James Fried on Friday December 06 2013, 5:55 AM EST. Ref: LA Times. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0