Madiba: The Immortal 46664

Testimonials and encomium have continued to pour in for one of Africa’s greatest sons, Nelson Mandela. His journey to fame was the uncompromising stand he took against injustice and apartheid. If he had looked the other way at the height of the racial crisis, the stories and celebration today would have been different. And the onerous task of spending 27 years in prison, which was the hallmark of his stewardship to his people, would probably not have been historical. The decision to take side with the plight of his people and pursue their calls for libration is what is being celebrated today . 

   His steadfastness and nearly three decades in incaceration fetched him the prison number 46664.    He was the 466th person sent to the prison on Robben Island in 1964. He was given the number because the government policy at the time demanded that designations must follow the sequence number of the prisoner, with the last two digits representing the year the detained arrived. 

    It was not the first time Mandela would pay dearly for a cause he believed in. As a student in 1939, he was involved in a boycott by the Students’ Representative Council against university policies. As a result, he was asked to leave the university campus. He had to complete his degree programme through correspondence from the University of South Africa. He also had to move to Johannesburg to avoid an arranged marriage. 

     The journey to prison started when Mandela,  charged with leaving the country illegally and inciting workers to embark on a strike, was convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment at Pretoria local prison. On May 27, 1963, he was transferred to Robben Island. He returned to Pretoria on June 12, the same year. He remained in Robben Island for 18 years before he was transferred to Pollsmoor Prison on the mainland in 1982.

        He was accused in 1956 of conspiring to overthrow the South African state through violent means alongside 155 political activists, and was charged with high treason.  In 1962, he was arrested after being on the run for 17 months and was imprisoned in Johannesburg fort. He was sentenced to five years in prison. He, however, escaped. In June 1964, he was captured and convicted for sabotage and treason and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was sentenced to life imprisonment along with seven others. Following his release, ‘Prisoner 46664’ became his reverential title.

   Robben Island is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its buildings remain one of the country’s most visited tourist attractions.  The number is also now a tool for creating global awareness and campaigning for humanitarian initiatives.  Two decades after he left prison, Mandela gave his number to a global HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness campaign, as a reminder of the sacrifices he made for a cause he believed in.

    While Mandela has gone, never to be physically seen again, his achievements, his prison number, and its powerful symbolism will continue to abide. 

 The number, pronounced “four, double six, six four”, was established in 2002 as an independent, not-for-profit organisation.

   Over the years and because of the unpredictable global economic climate, 46664 had had to look beyond philanthropy to fund its campaigns and projects, like Nelson Mandela Day. Therefore it has partnered with other entities through a careful licensing process to create income streams for the foundation.  One of such partnership is the 46664 Fashion.

    Also, before Joe Strummer’s death, he and U2’s Bono co-wrote the song “46664 for Mandela as part of the campaign against AIDS in Africa.

   Beside the 46664 song, there are 46664 charity concert, t-shirt and bangle. The first 46664 concert was held in Cape Town, on the 29th of November 2003 at the Green Point Stadium. Artistes who featured at the event included Beyoncé, Robert Plant,  Amampondo Drummers, Dave Stewart,  Yusuf Islam (the artist formerly known as  Cat Stevens), Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Bono and The Edge, Peter Gabriel, Cat Stevens and Bob Geldof. Three live CDs and a DVD titled “46664: The Event” were released as by product of the concert. Two years after, 19th March 2005, another “annual” 46664 Concert was held at Fancourt Country Club and Golfing Estate, in  George, South Africa with people like Katie Melua, Prime Circle,   Annie Lennox, Queen  Paul Rodgers and Will Smith as the host.  Thereafter, the 46664 concerts were held in other cities within South Africa; Spain, Norway and the UK. The first 46664 concert to be held in Europe was in Spain, and it was staged in Madrid from April 29, 2005 through to May 1,  2005.  It was code named “46664 Festival Madrid” with many Spanish-speaking artistes performing. The first night was dubbed Root night, the second and third day were Pop and Singer-songwriter’s nights. some of the artistes who featured were  Jorge Drexler,  Carlos Núñez,  Ismael Serrano,  Manolo García,  Sergio Dalma,   Zucchero,  Falete,  Valderrama, Diana Navarro and  José Mercé.

    It is a known fact that anything associated with highly successful people or global icon becomes a reference point, his prison number, which normally people would not want to associate with has become a tool of global campaign.

    The official 46664 bracelet in support of this campaign is handcrafted in South Africa in copper, silver, gold and platinum; engraved with 46664 as well as a digital imprint of Nelson Mandela’s hand with every purchase of the bangle raising funds for the 46664 campaign of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, providing employment in South Africa for communities where it’s most needed besides serving as a daily reminder of the ethos of social responsibility. 

    While Mandela has gone forever, never to be physically seen again, his works including his prison number will continually be visible.