Mandela describes 8115 Vilakazi Street as “identical to hundreds of others, it had the same standard tin roof, the same cement floor, a narrow kitchen, and a bucket toilet at the back”.
When Mandela moved there in 1946, little did he know how vital that cramped two room house would be in forever changing the course of history in south Africa and paving the way for democracy and freedom for all of us.
Alf Kumalo's photography book gives us an intimate look at Mandela’s life during his struggle against apartheid and how his family was affected by all the police raids, scare tactics and intimidation used against them to scare them into becoming meek and compliant, and how life was lived at this insignificant home during one of the most turbulent times in our great nations history.
Special detailed accounts are given by his first wife (Evelyn) and second wife (Winnie) into living with Mandela and, at the time, the political activities which he was involved. Something that also must be mentioned is the fact that while Mandela was under arrest during the treason trial, Winnie became involved with politics which she took to like a duck takes to water and also got a job working as a social worker with the Johannesburg child welfare as well as taking care of Mandela’s children, as far as anyone can say, she was a courageous woman with an indomitable spirit in times of extreme hardship. Her troubles only grew worse after she was arrested for charges of crimes against the state and given suspended sentences until eventually she was imprisoned for short but frequent periods of time.
This book also gives quite vivid detail on the political activities of Nelson Mandela such as the period of time when he was known as the “Black Pimpernel” at which time he had left the country without a passport to gather support all over Africa, and even to London, for his party and even to Ethiopia to receive military training which came into use when the military branch of the ANC known as umkhonto we siswe (MK) came into existence and Mandela became its first commander.
An account is also given of how Mandela’s Imprisonment affected his family and especially his children, who grew up mostly without their father, as well as the international pressure put on the south African government to release him, which had an unintended cause of becoming ingrained in the international psyche at the time.
Detail is also given on how negotiations between Mandela and the South African Government at the time escalated from pitiful offers on the governments’ part, to the eventual release of Mandela which became cause for international celebration, after which the ANC became legal again and events unfolded to finally see Mandela becoming the first democratically elected president within the country.
This album/book is truly a rare gem; it gives us photographic insight into the life of a great revolutionary and couples the events of the past with illustrations to drive home the point.
Truly a must read for anyone.
Find out more about 8115: A Prisoner's Home.
Kyle Swart works for Exclusive Books Nicolway and is an avid reader. His favourite genres include science fiction and fiction.