biography
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1917–93)
|
| biography:
| South African politician, born in Bizana, E South Africa. He studied at Fort Hare University, and began a teacher's diploma course, but was expelled for organizing a student protest. In 1944 he joined the African National Congress (ANC), and was appointed vice-president of its youth league. He attempted to join the priesthood, but in 1956 was imprisoned, and released the following year. When the ANC was banned in 1960, he left South Africa to set up an external wing. With the continued imprisonment (until 1990) of Nelson Mandela, he became acting ANC president in 1967, and president in 1977. He returned to South Africa in 1990. |
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