Why was Nelson Mandela seen as a Terrorist?

1. The ANC had engaged in terrorism under Apartheid in their struggle against the regime.  Nelson Mandela himself was the leader and co-founder of the armed wing of the ANC, from 1961, after the ANC itself was banned by the South African government in 1960.

2. Terrorism is a term that is always used to define violence against a certain group, which is, most of the times, the western authorities. So when the apartheid government had close relationship with the west, and Mandela called to arms his brothers and sisters against that particular government and for the freedom of his race he got labeled terrorist.

3. Terrorism is the unofficial or unauthorized use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims

4. His organisation waged a campaign of sabotage, bombings, and killed hundreds of government officials and civilians, mainly in the 1980s. However it is unknown whether any bodies or bombings are directly attributed to Nelson Mandela, but he most likely ordered attacks.He (along with ANC leadership) was on the US Terrorist watchlist until 2008.

5. Terrorism can be considered to be a politically loaded term intended to very effectively delegitimise an opposite party. Nelson Mandela planned armed struggle, because blacks had no votes and he avoided the sort of terrorism that hit ordinary people and generated more hatred, but if people don't see his struggle in a positive way then they can consider him to be a terrorist.