1962, South Africa: Mandela Imprisoned

By William Blum

On August 5, 1962, Nelson Mandela had been on the run for 17 months when police flagged down his car in  Natal.  He spent the next 28 years behind bars.  In 1986, media stories appeared in South Africa, Britain and the U.S. telling how a CIA officer, Donald Rickard, tipped off the Special Branch as to Mandela's whereabouts. 

      At a party at the home of Colonel "Mad Mike" Hoare, a CIA mercenary in South Africa, Rickard admitted that he had tipped off the police on Mandela's whereabouts (Guardian, Aug.15, 1986; Times, Aug.4, 1986). 

      Upon release from prison in 1990, President Bush phoned Mandela to say all Americans were "rejoicing" at his release.  This same George Bush, the former CIA chief, was Vice President for 8 years while the CIA collaborated closely with South Africa's intelligence service, providing information about the African National Congress (New York Times, Jul.23, 1986).

Source: www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Blum/CIAMandela_WBlum.html