Nelson Mandela passes away at 95

South Africa’s anti-apartheid hero and former president Nelson Mandela has passed away at age 95 in his Johannesburg home, South African President Jacob Zuma has announced.

In a somber statement on South African national television on Thursday night, Zuma said Mandela had “departed” and was “at peace”. “Our nation has lost its greatest son.”

Mandela, who led South Africa’s transition from white-minority rule in the 1990s after nearly three decades in prison, was one of the towering political figures of the 20th century.

“Our people have lost a father. Although we knew that this day would come, nothing can diminish our sense of a profound and enduring loss,” Zuma said.

“His tireless struggle for freedom earned him the respect of the world. His humility, his compassion and his humanity earned him their love. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Mandela family. To them, we owe a debt of gratitude. Our thoughts are with his wife, his former wife, with his children, his grandchildren, his great grandchildren and the entire family,” he added.

Mandela had been receiving home-based medical care for a lung infection after three months in hospital. He had been suffering from chronic respiratory conditions, probably due to the fact that he contracted tuberculosis in prison years ago.

“Our thoughts are with the millions of people across the world who embraced Nelson Mandela as their own and who saw his cause as their cause. This is the moment of our deepest sorrow,” the South African president stated.

“What made Nelson Mandela great was precisely what made him human. We saw in him what we seek in ourselves,” Zuma said.

Mandela served as president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election.

After years of resistance against apartheid rule in South Africa, Mandela was arrested in 1962. He was sentenced to life in prison, where he served over 27 years. He spent many of those years on Robben Island.

Following his release from prison on February 11, 1990, Mandela led the African National Congress party in the negotiations that led to multi-racial democracy in 1994. As president, he frequently gave priority to reconciliation. He left office in 1999 after serving one term as president.

In South Africa, Mandela is often known as Madiba, his clan name, or as tata, which means father.

Mandela received more than 250 awards over four decades, including the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize.

Seen as South Africa’s moral compass, the highly revered leader announced his retirement from public life in 2004, but continued to make a few public appearances.