South Africa on Saturday began preparations for the December 15 funeral of anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, which will be preceded by ten days of memorial events expected to draw an unprecedented number of world leaders and luminaries.
Mandela’s memorial service at the 95,000-seat FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Tuesday is expected to be one of the largest such gatherings in decades. leaders from around the world are expected to pay their respect to Mandela at various events. At least three American presidents, including Barack Obama, will travel to South Africa to attend memorial events.
The events will commence on Sunday, which has been declared by President Jacob Zuma an official day of prayer and reflection with special religious services. The body of Mandela will lie in state at the seat of Government, the Union Buildings in the capital Pretoria, from Wednesday to Friday. On these three days, the coffin will be taken in a cortege through the streets of Pretoria from a mortuary to the place where the body will lie in State.
The State funeral will be held in Mandela’s childhood home, Qunu village in the Eastern Cape, next Sunday. Memorial events for the statesman who dismantled the apartheid regime and served as South Africa’s first black President will also be held across the country during December 11-13. “We should all work together to organise the most befitting funeral for this outstanding son of our country and the father of our young nation,” said a statement from the presidency.
“We call upon all our people to gather in halls, churches, mosques, temples, synagogues and in their homes for prayer services and meditation, reflecting on the life of Madiba (Mandela’s clan name) and his contribution to our country and the world.” World leaders were set to converge on the country for the memorial events and the funeral.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said Obama and the First lady would “participate in memorial events”, without giving details. The Obamas will be joined on Air Force One by former President George W Bush and wife laura Bush. Former President Bill Clinton said he too planned to travel to South Africa with his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Preparations to bid adieu to Mandela were underway in hischildhood village of Qunu, where residents were awaiting the final return of their beloved son. South African Airways will provide extra flights to Qunu for mourners. Across South Africa, people poured into the streets, many of them draped in the green, yellow and black flags of Mandela’s African National Congress party, singing and dancing to celebrate his life.
At many places vigils were held to mourn the leader’s demise. large crowds spent a second night on the streets to pay tribute and remember Mandela’s legacy. Hundreds of people gathered outside Mandela’s home in the Johannesburg suburb of Houghton, and thousands of flowers laid outside resembled a wall. They shared memories of the leader, recounting how they drew inspiration from his life. A stage was erected near the house, from which priests led the crowd in prayers. One of his grandsons, Mbuso Mandela, laid wreaths in his grandfather’s memory.
As part of preparations for the events, the military today cancelled leave for troops to help with crowd control. An urgent message issued by the South African National Defence Force recalled all soldiers in units mobilised for support duties. Tributes continued to pour in from all parts of the world. North Korea sent its condolences to South Africa today, praising Mandela’s “struggle against racism and for democracy”. Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe paid tribute by saying, “Mr Mandela’s renowned political life will forever remain a beacon of excellence.”
There will be a joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament, the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces, on Monday to honour and commemorate the world peace icon. Mandela, a lawyer and ex-boxer, spent 27 years in prison, most of them on Robben Island, after being convicted in the Rivonia trial with several others 50 years ago.
He stepped down in 1999 after serving one term as President following the first democratic elections in 1994. As President, Mandela worked to unite a polarised South Africa dominated by tribal politics. He devoted his energy to moderating the bitterness of his black electorate and to reassuring whites with fears of vengeance.