Mandela was very shrewd, for a couple of reasons. By refusing to retaliate against the white minority, he prevented the mass exodus that occurred in many other African countries following independence, ensuring there would be someone around to keep things running and prevent an economic collapse. Secondly, Mandela knew that taking the high road would burnish his own image and that of South Africa, keeping foreign aid and investment dollars flowing in.
Neighboring Zimbabwe, once the breadbasket of southern Africa, was already barreling to oblivion when Mandela took over. Good ol’ Robert Mugabe and his thugs gave Mandela a textbook example of “what not to do.’
GOOD POINTS.