The Free Mandela campaign of 1980 proved to be a revolutionary movement that not only succeeded in freeing a man but also freeing the nation of South Africa from the retention of racial apartheid. Apartheid was a political and social system in South Africa which enforced racial discrimination against non-Whites. This was subjected, above all to black South Africans, the rightful rulers of this nation. It would last for more than 40 years. The racial divide was blatantly unequal and unjust. Nelson Mandela was freed following a 20-year imprisonment for his fight for a free South Africa. He would become the face of the campaign to rectify the crippling impairment of apartheid.

To highlight the great imbalance of this topic, the book is separated by black and white. White pages hold information on unbalanced rule. Black pages tell the story of the black uprising and fight for freedom. It follows the timeline of events that lead to the freedom of South Africa from racial division.

Racial apartheid was ended in South Africa in 1994. The freedom came with a promise that the lives of all the suppressed would change. This however was not the case. Yes, racial apartheid is ended but it evolved into a division between the haves and the have not’s, leaving those who had nothing, with nothing. The story finishes with ‘So I ask, is South Africa truly free?’, leaving the reader confused and disappointed, while feeling empathetic for the people of South Africa.