Nelson Mandela avoided any involvement 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 . There he became involved in anti-colonial and African nationalist politics , joining the ANC in 1943 and co-founding its Youth League in 1944 . Mandela was appointed President of the ANC 's Transvaal branch , rising to prominence for his involvement in the 1952 Defiance Campaign and the 1955 Congress of the People . 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 . Although critics on the right denounced him as a communist terrorist and those on the radical left deemed him too eager to negotiate and reconcile with apartheid 's supporters , he gained international acclaim for his activism .