1. Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela was a prominent political figure, philanthropist, and anti-apartheid activist who was born and raised in sa. He served as President of South Africa from 1994 until 1999. He was admired all over the world as a symbol of social justice and democracy since he was the first black person to lead the nation as head of state, and he was chosen in an election that was entirely representative of democratic ideals.
Mandela spent 27 years in prison for sabotage and plotting to violently overthrow the government through Umkhonto we Sizwe. This was his longest and most illustrious imprisonment. Mandela was arrested multiple times for seditious actions, but his time spent in prison from 1962 to 1990 is considered to be his most illustrious imprisonment. Mandela was released from prison in 1990 as a direct result of extensive activism, pressure from both domestic and foreign authorities, and concerns around the possibility of a racial civil war.
2. Robert Mugabe
Robert Mugabe, the political and revolutionary leader of Zimbabwe, is one of the few people in the world to have transitioned from incarceration to the position of president. Mugabe is also one of the few people in the world to have led a successful revolution. He served in that capacity for Zimbabwe from the years 1980 through 1987. He held the office of President of the country from 1987 to 2017. He is known as an African nationalist who contributed to the liberation of Zimbabwe from British imperialism, colonialism, and control by white minorities. This earned him the respect of the international community.
As a result of his opposition to British rule and his status as a prominent member of the Zimbabwe African National Union, Mugabe was detained until November 1974. This was due to the fact that he was in power in Zimbabwe (ZANU). He had been detained in December 1963. After being released from prison, he relocated to Mozambique, where he became leader of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), and began conducting guerrilla warfare against the largely white government of that nation.
Mugabe’s guerrilla war finally resulted in peace discussions with the UK, which ultimately resulted in the country gaining its independence on the condition that they hold free elections. After leading ZANU-PF to victory in the election held in 1979, Mugabe ascended the political ranks, first becoming prime minister in April 1980 and then president in 1987.
3. Jacob Zuma
Jacob Zuma, a well-known anti-apartheid activist, was elected as the fourth democratic president of South Africa. He served from 2009 to 2014. In addition to this, he served as South Africa’s Deputy President from 1999 to 2005, when he was removed from office by the President of the country at the time, Thabo Mbeki.
In 1959, Zuma became a member of the African National Congress (ANC), the nation’s ruling party, and in 1962, he joined Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the ANC. He was arrested in 1963 and sentenced to 10 years in prison on Robben Island, where he served his time alongside mandelaand other key ANC figures who were also detained at the time for plotting to overthrow South Africa’s apartheid government. He was detained for conspiring to overthrow the government of apartheid South Africa.
After being released from prison, Zuma left the country but continued to be a member of the ANC even though he was living in one of the countries that border South Africa. After he had returned home in 1990, he was given the opportunity to command the Southern Natal district. Zuma rose through the ranks of the party in order to put him in a position to successfully lead it to victory in the general election of 2009. He was selected to govern South Africa till he resigned in 2018, when he stepped down.