Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
Lecture at the conference on "Charisma", June 25, 2026
Perhaps no figure of the 20th century retains such an aura as Nelson Mandela, who is often credited with shepherding the transition from apartheid to a democratic South Africa through the force of his own charisma. But what did it consist of? How can someone who was jailed and silenced for 27 years create charisma? And how did the very characteristics that established his legend world-wide lead to condemnation by a new young generation in South Africa? Justice Albie Sachs, who worked closely with Mandela during the years of transition, will reflect.
Albie Sachs is a South African lawyer, activist, and writer. He was appointed a judge in first Constitutional Court of South Africa, and became an internationally recognized common law judge. After several detentions in the late 1960s on account of his activist work against Apartheid, Sachs was forced to leave South Africa. He continued his ANC work abroad, including first in England and then in Mozambique, where he survived an assassination attempt in 1988. Sachs was able to return to South Africa in 1990, where he was subsequently closely involved in the creation of the post-apartheid 1996 constitution. Sachs has written several award-winning books on justice in South Africa and his experiences as an activist judge—e.g., Soft Vengeance of a Freedom Fighter (2009); Strange Alchemy of Life and Law (1990)—and has been recognized for his contributions to peace and justice, including, e.g., the Reconciliation Award (Institute for Justice and Reconciliation); the Legion of Honour (France); Order of the Southern Cross (Brazil). He also serves as member of the Advisory Board of the Einstein Forum.
Lecture at the conference on "Charisma", June 25, 2026
Perhaps no figure of the 20th century retains such an aura as Nelson Mandela, who is often credited with shepherding the transition from apartheid to a democratic South Africa through the force of his own charisma. But what did it consist of? How can someone who was jailed and silenced for 27 years create charisma? And how did the very characteristics that established his legend world-wide lead to condemnation by a new young generation in South Africa? Justice Albie Sachs, who worked closely with Mandela during the years of transition, will reflect.
Albie Sachs is a South African lawyer, activist, and writer. He was appointed a judge in first Constitutional Court of South Africa, and became an internationally recognized common law judge. After several detentions in the late 1960s on account of his activist work against Apartheid, Sachs was forced to leave South Africa. He continued his ANC work abroad, including first in England and then in Mozambique, where he survived an assassination attempt in 1988. Sachs was able to return to South Africa in 1990, where he was subsequently closely involved in the creation of the post-apartheid 1996 constitution. Sachs has written several award-winning books on justice in South Africa and his experiences as an activist judge—e.g., Soft Vengeance of a Freedom Fighter (2009); Strange Alchemy of Life and Law (1990)—and has been recognized for his contributions to peace and justice, including, e.g., the Reconciliation Award (Institute for Justice and Reconciliation); the Legion of Honour (France); Order of the Southern Cross (Brazil). He also serves as member of the Advisory Board of the Einstein Forum.
