Mandela! Mandela! Mandela!

Nelson Mandela: 20th anniversary of his historic election win

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Brooks Kraft/Corbis

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Looking back

A look back at the life of Madiba, as South Africa marks two decades since the first elections in which citizens of all races were allowed to take part.

On April 27, 1994, South Africa held its first free, post-apartheid elections. The vote marked a new era for the nation, and saw anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, who had spent 27 years in jail, elected as the country's first black president.

The man known as Madiba (pictured above on the 1994 campaign trail, dancing at an ANC rally) went on to be dubbed 'the Father of a Nation', and an unprecedented wave of mourning swept the world upon his death last year.

As the country celebrates 20 years since his historic election as president, click or swipe to see more pictures of Mandela's amazing life.