Mbeki was the son of Xhosa ANC activists and teachers: his father, Govan Mbeki spent 24 years imprisoned with Nelson Mandela on Robben Island. Knowing that they were likely to be arrested, his parents sent their son to be raised by uncles when he was nine.

At 14 he joined the Youth League of the ANC and later became national secretary of the African Students Association. In 1962 he went into exile in Zimbabwe, Tanzania, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Nigeria, Zambia and Swaziland, during which time he continued to advance in the ANC hierarchy as well as completing his university studies.

After Mandela was elected Mbeki became executive deputy president and in June 1999 he was elected to succeed Mandela as president of South Africa. In 1997 he was elected president of the ANC.

References

Embassy of South Africa in Washington, DC. "Mr. Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki - Executive Deputy President." [Includes portrait]. Available at: http://www.southafrica.net/government/system/mbeki.html
African National Congress. "The Mbeki Page." [Includes portraits]. Available at: http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/mbeki/

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