Nelson Mandela was uninvolved in politics.
Nelson Mandela . Ideologically an African nationalist and socialist , he served as President of the African National Congress ( ANC ) party from 1991 to 1997 . Although initially committed to non-violent protest , in association with the SACP he co-founded the militant Umkhonto we Sizwe in 1961 and led a sabotage campaign against the government . Mandela became an elder statesman and focused on combating poverty and HIV/AIDS through the charitable Nelson Mandela Foundation . uMkhonto we Sizwe ( abbreviated as MK , [ uˈmkʰonto we ˈsizwe ] , meaning `` Spear of the Nation '' ) was the armed wing of the African National Congress ( ANC ) , co-founded by Nelson Mandela in the wake of the Sharpeville massacre .