This day in history in 1996: Nelson Mandela steps down as President of South Africa

Megan Barreto
Updated
A Look at Nelson Mandela's Memoir
A Look at Nelson Mandela's Memoir


This day in 1996, Nelson Mandela historically stepped down as President of South Africa.

According to South African History Online, On 7 July 1996,in a television broadcast President Nelson Mandela confirmed the rumours that he would not stand for re-election in 1999. In this in accordance to what he had initially said when he was sworn in as the country's first democratic president in 1994.

A posthumous memoir by Nelson Mandela about his time as South Africa's first post-apartheid president was also published.

Check out pictures from when Nelson Mandela was memorialized:

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