he traveled in cognito. he posed as a chauffeur. he posed as a messenger boy. beard. >> reporter: the nation's press label mandela the black pimpenel. he becomes a cult hero to south africa's blacks. >> here was a man who epitomized the need to stand up, not to succumb to the regime, to go in the underground, give up your family, give up your livelihood and devote yourself entirely to the struggle. >> reporter: the government launches a nationwide dragnet to catch him. the cat-and-mouse game ends on august 5th, 1962. mandela is convicted of traveling without valid papers and inciting people to strike and is sentenced to five years in prison. >> i know how we worked in the streets because to us, five years was like eternity. >> reporter: a year later on july 11th, 1963, walter sisulu, his friend and mentor and the remaining underground leadership of the anc meet at a hideout in a northern suburb of johannesburg. >> so we all go together that day at rivonia, just started the meeting, and after a few minutes the police raided. it came as a shock. >> reporter: in o