Long Walk to Freedom

The prisoners’ new quarters take up the third floor of Pollsmoor Prison and include a sunny terrace on which Mandela creates a massive garden. Despite being on the mainland, they feel isolated because they are separated from their old comrades and communications channels. They suspect they were transferred so the Robben Island prisoners were left without leadership. Ahmed Kathrada soon joins the Pollsmoor group, as does Patrick Maqubela, a young man who was not on Robben Island with them.

The food at Pollsmoor is much better, and visits occur much more frequently. The guards are generally much more cordial as well. In May 1984, contact visits are finally permitted, and Mandela holds Winnie for the first time in 21 years.

The war between the apartheid regime and the ANC continues to escalate as both sides engage in terroristic bombings. Despite the government’s attempts to divide factions of the liberation struggle, the United Democratic Front (UDF) is formed in 1983 and unites more than 600 antiapartheid organizations in common cause. International pressure dramatically escalates as more nations begin economically sanctioning South Africa and Archbishop Desmond Tutu is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

On January 31, 1985, President Botha offers to release all political prisoners who unconditionally reject violence.