Arena | Miller Meets Mandela

From his home in Soweto, Nelson Mandela talks about his life for the first time since his release from prison. He shares details of his upbringing and the conflicting ideas of identity he faced as a young man, before discussing the rise of the ANC movement, which eventually used violent means against apartheid. He recounts with vivid detail his years imprisoned on Robben Island, where the only knowledge of the outside world was gained through old newspapers found on a nearby rubbish dump. Despite the ordeal, Mandela shows no bitterness and goes on to outline the 'Freedom Charter' - his vision for South Africa.

At the time of this interview, Mandela was the deputy president of the ANC and eventually replaced Oliver Tambo as ANC president in July 1991. He subsequently worked with FW de Klerk, South Africa's president, to end apartheid and both men were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. In April 1994, Mandela became president of South Africa after the first free elections.