Celebrating Nelson Mandela: Rare photos, documents exhibited for Mandela's centenary

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02:48

South Africa is counting down to the centenary birthday of one of its favourite sons. Nelson Mandela would have turned a-hundred this year. In celebration of his life, a Johannesburg gallery is holding an exhibition showcasing rare, historical documents and images of the late statesman. CGTN's Julie Scheier went to take a look.

The Mandela 100 exhibition is a collection of rarely seen historical images, documents and letters written to Nelson Mandela by children of all ages.

RENEY WARRINGTON CURATOR, FOTOZA GALLERY "We collaborated with the Nelson Mandela Foundation to put a show together; images focusing on the younger Mandela from 1938 which is the first image we have of him in a suite, a very dapper image, up to his release from prison."

Mandela was a charismatic leader. He captured the imagination of the world through his unwavering stance against oppression.

RENEY WARRINGTON CURATOR, FOTOZA GALLERY "If you look at the images, its present, his humanity in his smile in his way that he interacts with the camera and he is very hesitant in the beginning, he didn't want to be the guy, the leader of the ANC, I think there was something about him that just moved people that's why he became the man that he was."

RAZIA SALEH SENIOR ARCHIVIST, NELSON MANDELA FOUNDATION "When Walter Sisulu met him for the first time, he said here is a man I have been looking for all my life, someone who has Presidential stature, all the people that we have met Madiba over the years do say there is a presence in him and I do think it is reflected in these photographs."

His 27 years behind bars as a political prisoner was widely documented. It led to a global outcry for him to be released.

RENEY WARRINGTON CURATOR, FOTOZA GALLERY "We have a collection of posters, 'Free Mandela' posters designed by different countries, while he was in prison. He kept desk calendars so we have from 1976 up to 1990 and in the beginning, they are blank because he was not allowed any contact, calls and gradually you will see there are entries."

JULIE SCHEIER JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA "This exhibition is a journey through time and it shows the life of a man who led the drive against apartheid in South Africa and became its first black president."

DON DADA MUSICIAN "I think the things Nelson Mandela stood for is very, very important for us to remember, he was all about unity of all different races and South Africans building South Africa up I think that's something that we shouldn't forget."

The exhibition will run until the end of July at South Africa's first, dedicated photography gallery, FotoZA. Julie Scheier, CGTN, JHB SA.