From “terrorist” to “freedom fighter” – Five entities who changed their tune on Nelson Mandela

Ronald Reagan

The former US president was no friend of self-styled freedom fighters who rode on populism. He and his administration called such people communists.

Mandela and his ANC were therefore easy targets for Ronald Reagan. So he had the ANC put on America’s list of terrorist organisations with Mandela described as among its “leadership”.

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But Reagan would also later call for the release of Mandela after Madiba had spent about a quarter of a century in prison.