Final answer:
The statement is false. Nelson Mandela became President of South Africa after the country's first multiracial elections in 1994, not immediately following a 1992 referendum.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that Nelson Mandela became President shortly after the 1992 referendum is False. While it is true that the apartheid legislation was repealed and a new era began in South Africa following the end of apartheid, Nelson Mandela did not become president immediately after a 1992 referendum. The repeal of apartheid and the release of Nelson Mandela from prison set the stage for South Africa's first multiracial elections, which took place in 1994, where Mandela was elected as the country's first Black president, marking a significant moment in the nation's history.