South African president Nelson Mandela received the Congressional Gold Medal today, becoming the first African awarded the honor. Lawmakers cited Mandela for having dedicated his entire life to the abolition of apartheid and said he sacrificed his own personal freedom for the good of everyone. Mandela spent 27 years in prison before becoming president. A South African play set on the eve of Mandela's release from prison opens in Minneapolis tomorrow night. "Playland" by Athol Fugard explores the difficulties for blacks and whites of coming to terms with apartheid. The production is being staged by Pangea World Theater at the Hennepin Center for the Arts.