Protesting began to increase in the middle years of the Apartheid, so the government began a treason trial against 156 of its opponents, including Nelson Mandela, a prominent human rights figure during and after the Apartheid. All 156 people were acquitted. Also, in 1960, a huge non-violent black protest occurred in Sharpville which lead to the Sharpville Massacre where the South African Police were responsible for killing over 100 people. The government at this time was determined to stop all opposition. Liberation movements, including the African National Congress or A.N.C. were banned, however at this time Mandela went underground and traveled abroad to increase support for the A! .N.C.. Soon after, Mandela and all members of the A.N.C. were arrested; some were sentenced for life.

 

http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/mandela.html
Nelson Mandela: A prominent figure in the anti-Apartheid Movement

Finally, after over 20 years in prison, Mandela went through a series of preliminaries and was eventually escorted in secrecy to negotiate with President F.W. de Klerk. He negotiated his release as well as the country’s release from the Apartheid. Shortly after in 1990, the ban on the A.N.C. was lifted and Mandela was released. In 1991 Nelson Mandela became president of the A.N.C. and in 1994 he became President of South Africa. After almost half of century, the Apartheid was lifted and so began long road of rebuilding the country from the ruins in which the Apartheid left it.