NELSON MANDELA 1918 - 2013: Family gather at home of Nelson Mandela as mourners continue to pay their respects outside the former leader’s house and whole country enters period of mourning
- After ten days of mourning in South Africa, Nelson Mandela's state funeral will be on Sunday, December 15
- Hundreds have gathered outside his home and national landmarks to dance and sing in his memory
- Reverend Malusi Mpumlwana said a short prayer for the former president outside his home to the crowds of mourners
- Former president passed away home in Johannesburg. He'd spent three months in hospital with lung infection
- His body has been taken to a military hospital in Pretoria, where he will be embalmed and prepared to lie in state
- South African President Jacob Zuma confirmed Mandela’s death before 9pm local time (7pm GMT) in TV address
- 'Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost a father. We saw in him what we seek in ourselves’
- President Obama paid emotional tribute, saying: 'I cannot fully imagine my life without example Mandela set'
- David Cameron said a 'great light has gone out in the world. Nelson Mandela was a hero of our time...'
- Death came as Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended London premiere of biopic Long Walk To Freedom
- 'They were clapping like mad and somebody came on and said: 'We have just heard he has died',' Queen said
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Nelson Mandela started
his final journey today as his body was taken from his home in a coffin
draped in the South African flag he loved so ardently as it was
announced his funeral will be on Sunday, December 15.
Before then, from December 11 to 13, the anti-apartheid
hero's body will lie in state in a glass-topped coffin at the
Union Buildings in Pretoria, where he was inaugurated as president on
May 10, 1994.
It will mark three of the ten days officially assigned as a mourning period for 'Madiba' or 'Tata' as he was devotedly called, ahead of what is expected to be the one of the biggest funerals in history.
Mourners
have gathered to dance and sing songs of freedom outside his home as
the world celebrates the life of the adored statesman who brought peace
and equality to his country and died last night aged 95.
He
passed away at home in Johannesburg at 8.50pm yesterday and his body
was moved to a military hospital in Pretoria this morning, where he is
under armed guard.
Imprisoned
for 27 years before becoming South Africa's first black president, his
courage in the face of persecution made him the most potent symbol of
the struggle against apartheid, and an inspiration to millions in his
country and billions beyond.
His
close friend, retired archbishop Desmond Tutu, said today Mandela would
want South Africans to be his 'memorial'
by cherishing his values of 'unity and democracy', and his closing words
at a Cape Town church service were: 'God, thank you for the gift of
Madiba'.
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Journey: The Flag covered coffin carrying the
body of former South African President Nelson Mandela is taken from his
home in Johannesburg, South Africa, this morning as his beloved country
began eight days of mourning
A world mourns his passing: Nelson Mandela,
whose courage in the face of persecution made him the most potent symbol
of the struggle against apartheid and inspired millions in his own
country and around the world, died last night aged 95
Crowds: People flock to the late leader Nelson Mandela's Houghton home to lay down flowers and messages this evening
Prayer: Reverend Malusi Mpumlwana holds a short
prayer for hundreds of mourners from around the country who gathered
outside former President Nelson Mandela's house
Hundreds fell silent in Johannesburg as the reverend prayed for the former president
Vigil: Here two South African citizens hold
hands outside Nelson Mandela's Johannesburg home today as they join
crowds of people in a vigil for the former president
Mass: Arch Bishop Emritus Desmond Tutu delivers a mass in St George's Cathedral in Cape Town tonight
Grieving: Hundreds flocked to hear the prayers
being said for the anti-apartheid hero as the country mourns Nelson
Mandela's death
Inconsolable: The arch bishop embraced members
of the congregation who wept uncontrollably following the death of the
country's former president
Mr Mandela passed away at home after a long
battle against illness. He was 95. He is pictured here accompanied by
his wife Winnie walking out of Victor Verster Prison near Cape Town, a
free man after 27 years of imprisonment
Final picture: Nelson Mandela seated next to
current South African president Jacob Zuma at his home in April this
year as he struggled with ill health
Poignant: Nobel laureate
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu prays for the late South African
president Nelson Mandela in Cape Town, his old friend
South African president Jacob Zuma announced this afternoon Nelson Mandela’s state funeral will be held in Quino, the village where he grew up, and is likely to be attended by world leaders including David Cameron and Barack Obama.
During ten days of mourning, the first major event will be on December 10, where a memorial service will be held at the Johannesburg soccer stadium that hosted the 2010 World Cup final, and holds 94,000 people.
Between December 11 and December 13 his embalmed body will lie in state in a glass-fronted coffin at the Union Buildings in Pretoria , where he was inaugurated as president on May 10, 1994.
The Queen has said this morning she is 'deeply saddened' to learn of Nelson Mandela's death, saying the former South African president 'worked tirelessly for the good of his country'.
SOUTH AFRICA'S TEN DAYS OF MOURNING AND THE GRANDEST FUNERAL AFRICA HAS EVER SEEN
Elaborate funeral plans have been set
in motion in South Africa following the death of the country’s revered
first black president Nelson Mandela.
Ten days of mourning will culminate in an unparalleled event in South Africa’s history on Sunday, December 15.
South
African President Jacob Zuma ordered the nation's flags to be flown at
half-mast beginning Friday and to remain that way until after Mandela's
funeral, which is expected to be held next Saturday.
In the coming days it is believed his body will be embalmed.
For
the three days the anti-apartheid hero's body will lie in state at the
Union Buildings in Pretoria, where he was inaugurated as president on
May 10, 1994.
On day
nine, plans have been made for a military aircraft to fly Mr Mandela to
Mthatha, the main town in the South African province of Eastern Cape.
His casket will then be taken by the military on a gun carriage to Qunu, his home village.
Later, ANC leaders, local chiefs and Mandela's family are expected to gather for a private night vigil.
On
the final day, Mandela will finally be laid to rest in the grounds of
his family home in Quino, where thousands of people, including heads of
state will gather for the state funeral.
'The Queen was deeply saddened to
learn of the death of Nelson Mandela last night. His legacy is the
peaceful South Africa we see today,' Buckingham Palace said this morning.
'Her
Majesty remembers with great warmth her meetings with Mr Mandela and
sends her sincere condolences to his family and the people of South
Africa at this very sad time.'
Last night Mandela's death was announced in South
Africa as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge sat down to watch the
screening of Long Walk To Freedom, the movie based on his autobiography. They were told in the auditorium in Leicester Square.
Nelson Mandela's daughter Zindzi Mandela also learnt of her father's death while watching the royal premiere.
Screams
rang out in the auditorium as the news was broken to her, although the
majority of fellow audience members were not informed until after the
film.
The Duke of
Cambridge, with Kate beside him, said: 'It was extremely sad and tragic
news. We were just reminded of what an extraordinary and inspiring man
Nelson Mandela was and my thoughts and prayers are with him and his
family right now.'
The Queen discussed the incident this afternoon and said: 'They (William and Kate) were clapping
like mad and somebody came on and said (waves arms), can you just listen
please, we have just heard he has died'.
The Prince of Wales also paid tribute to the former South African leader.
He
said: 'Mr Mandela was the embodiment of courage and reconciliation. He
was also a man of great humour and had a real zest for life.
'With
his passing, there will be an immense void not only in his family's
lives, but also in those of all South Africans and the many others whose
lives have been changed through his fight for peace, justice and
freedom.
'The world has
lost an inspired leader and a great man. My family and I are profoundly
saddened and our thoughts and prayers are with his family.'
His death was announced in
a televised address broadcast, in which South
African president Jacob Zuma said: ‘Our nation has lost its greatest
son. Our people have lost a father.
‘What made Nelson Mandela great was precisely what made him human. We saw in him what we seek in ourselves.’
Mr Mandela passed away at home after a long battle against illness. He was 95.
Mr Zuma said the former president
would be accorded a State funeral and flags throughout South Africa
would fly at half-mast until it was over.
Mr Mandela’s efforts to heal his
country after its long history of division made him one of the world’s
most loved leaders, viewed by millions of Africans as a secular saint.
He was known in South Africa as ‘Madiba’, his clan name, which means
‘grandfather’.
Leader: President Jacob Zuma waves at a group of
mourners and then speaks to the media outside the home where Nelson
Mandela died, and announced that Madiba's funeral on Sunday, December 15
Outpouring of emotion: People gather to pay
their last respects outside former President Mandela, singing songs of
freedom and celebrating the life that changed the course of their
country and inspired change around the planet
Paying tribute: Mourners gather to sing and
dance around a huge painting of Nelson Mandela outside the house of the
late South African president Nelson Mandela as the world digests life
without Nelson Mandela
A life that touched so many: A mourner touches a
photograph of the late South African president outside his Johannesburg
home this morning
Crowds: A woman, surrounded by children, outside
the house of Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg sings a song celebrating
the life of one of the world's great leaders
Sad: A mother gathers her children in her arms as they pray for the Nobel Peace Prize winner who died last night
Nation grieving: After months of illness Mandela
passed away on Thursday night and families moved by what he did for
their country have flocked to his homes and national monuments
First light: Through the darkness and through
the night mourners have gathered to pay their respects to the statesman
by leaving flowers, flags and lit candles
Grief and joy: The mood of the
vigil outside the former president's home in Houghton, Johannesburg,
turned from quiet grief into an exuberant celebration of his life
David Cameron said: ‘A great light
has gone out in the world. Nelson Mandela was a hero of our time. I have
asked for the flag at No 10 to be flown at half-mast.’
The Prime Minister has signed a book of condolence at South Africa House in London this morning.
In a message, he said Mr Mandela 'will inspire generations to come'.
He
wrote: 'Your cause of fighting for freedom and against discrimination,
your struggle for justice, your triumph against adversity - these things
will inspire generations to come.
'And
through all of this, your generosity, compassion and profound sense of
forgiveness have given us all lessons to learn and live by.'
He ended his message with a quote - 'Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.'
He ended his message with a quote - 'Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.'
It
is understood that Mr Cameron is likely to fly out to South Africa
early next week to take part in a formal memorial service.
Mr Mandela's efforts to heal his country after
its long history of division made him one of the world¿s most loved
leaders, viewed by millions of Africans as a secular saint
Despite being allowed to return home three
months ago, South Africa's first black president has not been able to
move from a bedroom described as being a 'virtual 24 hour intensive care
unit'
Nelson Mandela whose courage in the face of
persecution made him the most potent symbol of the struggle against
apartheid - died last night
Magical moment: On May 10 1994, in the nation's
capital Pretoria, Nelson Mandela was sworn in as the first
democratically elected President and gave the nation hope
Life of an icon: Nelson Mandela was leader of
the National Congress African, photographed in traditional dress in
1961, was castigated and imprisoned, but after 27 years was released and
rose to become one of the greatest figures of the past century, right
in 1994
Happy couple: Nelson Mandela and his wife and wife Graca Machel, who married in 1998. Both were previously married
Details of how tributes will be paid to Mr Mandela in the House of Commons on Monday are expected later today.
Today Tony Blair told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that Mr Mandela had a good relationship with Britain, despite the opposition to him from parts of the establishment.
'He literally never used to let that bother him at all in terms of his regard for the country and, by the way, he was always perfectly gracious about Mrs Thatcher as well. I think he had a tremendous affection for Britain, he admired it as a country, he liked the people and I know he always used to enjoy coming.'
The former prime minister added: 'He came to represent something that was much more than just about the resolution of the issues of apartheid and of South Africa, he came to represent something quite inspirational for the future of the world and for peace and reconciliation in the 21st century.'
Former prime minister Sir John Major said Mr Mandela 'left an indelible mark on his time that few have ever equalled'.
Tributes: Trafalgar Square in London is lined with flowers and candles left by British mourners and admirers
Tributes: Ebrahim Rasool, South African
Ambassador to the United States, delivers a speech about the
anti-apartheid hero in the lobby of the Embassy of South Africa in
Washington, DC
Harlem: The Apollo Theatre in Harlem, New York,
has displayed a tribute to Nelson Mandela to add to the millions around
the globe today and in the weeks to come
Moving: Prince William paid tribute to Nelson
Mandela alongside the Duchess of Cambridge following last night's film
premiere of Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom, where the couple were
told as they watched it
Outpouring: Monuments to 'Mandiba' in London are
being surrounded by flowers and candles by those inspired by his
example to the world
Crowds: A London statue of Mandela looks on to
Westminster Abbey,the Houses of Parliament and dozens there to pay their
respects
Piled high: A woman places flowers and reads the notes resting outside the South African embassy near Trafalgar Square
Embrace: A man with a South African scarf comforts a woman as they mourn the death 'Tata' Mandela in London
Upset: The Queen, who visited a plaque
commemorating Mandela's visit to Westminster in 1996, said news of his
death left her 'deeply saddened' when informed at about 10pm last night
Flowers and a framed picture of Mr Mandela were laid at the base of his statue in Parliament Square in the early hours.
As the candles and flowers multiplied, a group of people with South African scarves and flags cried out 'Long live the spirit of Nelson Mandela' and 'Viva Mandela'.
Joan Foster, 51, from London, left a bunch of flowers and said she could 'be here all day' explaining why she felt like she had to do so.
She said: 'It's amazing how one person made so much change. How many people could say they made a nation change the way they think?'
Hugh Sinclair, 54, from Germany, broke down in tears as he spoke about Mr Mandela after leaving flowers.
He said he was an example to the world of how 'humans should be'.
'There's so much war and hatred in the world,' he said.
Recalling the day Mr Mandela was released, he said tearfully: 'I felt very, very emotional because I'd been to Zimbabwe and I'd been to South Africa when it was under apartheid and I remember how the non-whites suffered.
'It was an enormous relief for so many people.'
Mr Sinclair added: 'He is one of the truly great leaders, and I feel very thankful that we have him.'
Father of a nation: Handwritten messages left for Nelson Mandela outside his home in Johannesburg
People wishing to pay their last respects gather outside Nelson Mandela's home in Johannesburg
Crowds at Mandela's home paying their respects
to the former president, who died on Thursday aged 95 and left a nation
in mourning
Mourners outside Mandela's home film the occasion on their mobile phones
Dozens of journalists gathered outside Mandela's home
Tribute: As news of Mandela's death filtered out
late last night, residents of Johannesburg came to the suburb where he
lived to light candles in his honour
Mourners who joined the all-night vigil outside
Mandela's home brought tributes with them - this man brought the front
page of a newspaper commemorating his life
As dawn broke on the leafy suburb where
Mandela died last night, mourners lit candles and laid flowers, flags
and soft toys in a shrine for the former president
A framed portrait of the former president and flowers are placed outside Mandela's home on Friday
The vigil outside Manela's home included groups of people singing and dancing in celebration of his life
Patriotic celebration: The mood of those outside
Mandela's house turned from one of grief to one of joy as mourners
danced and sang songs in his honour
Rumours of Mr Mandela's increasing discomfort started circulating in the early afternoon Wednesday as increasing numbers of Mandela family members arrived at the former president's large Johannesburg home.
South Africa's president Jacob Zuma announced the long-expected death in a special television broadcast last night.
Mr Zuma said: 'Our nation has lost its greatest son.'
'What made Nelson Mandela great was precisely what made him human. We saw in him what we seek in ourselves.
'Fellow South Africans, Nelson Mandela brought us together and it is together that we will bid him farewell.'
Icon: Prime Minister David Cameron signs the
book of condolence at the South African Embassy in central London this
morning, and called him the 'hero of our time'
Heartfelt: David Cameron used the message from
Matthew 5:9 - 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the
Children of God'
Tribute: The Union and South African flags fly
at half mast in Downing Street today while the Queen has also asked for
the same to happen at Buckingham Palace
A portrait of Nelson Mandela hangs in front of David Cameron as he signs a book of condolence
David Cameron said meeting Nelson Mandela was
one of the greatest moments of his life and referred to him as the
embodiment of grace
The White House said tonight that the president is expected to travel to South Africa for Mandela's state funeral along with other world leaders.
'He achieved more than could be expected for any man and today he's gone home,’ Obama said at a news conference. 'Madiba transformed South Africa and moved all of us- his journey from a prisoner to a president embodied the promise that humans can transform for the better.'
Mr Obama visited South Africa in June and met with the former president's family but did not personally meet with the ailing leader because his health was so poor at the time.
Hillary Clinton, former US secretary of state, said Mr Mandela was 'a champion for justice and human dignity, with unmatched grace'.
Former U.S. president Bill Clinton said last night: 'Today the world has lost one of its most important leaders and one of its finest human beings. And Hillary, Chelsea and I have lost a true friend.
'History will remember Nelson Mandela as a champion for human dignity and freedom, for peace and reconciliation.
'We will remember him as a man of uncommon grace and compassion, for whom abandoning bitterness and embracing adversaries was not just a political strategy but a way of life.
'Our thoughts and prayers go out to Graca and his family and to the people of South Africa. All of us are living in a better world because of the life that Madiba lived.
'He proved that there is freedom in forgiving, that a big heart is better than a closed mind, and that life's real victories must be shared.'
In a statement former president George Bush said: 'President Mandela was one of the great forces for freedom and equality of our time. He bore his burdens with dignity and grace, and our world is better off because of his example.
'This good man will be missed, but his contributions will live on forever. Laura and I send our heartfelt sympathy to President Mandela's family and to the citizens of the nation he loved.'
Tears: Many of those who came to pay tribute to the man who gave them their freedom brought their children with them
Brought together by grief: South African people hold hands outside Mandela's house after learning of his death at the age of 95
Tribute for our brother: People gather on
Vilakazi Street in the black township of Soweto, where Mandela lived
during the 1940s and 1950s
The Nobel Peace Prize winner was 95 when he passed away
People read a newspaper on Vilakazi Street in
Soweto, where Mandela once lived - mourners marched around the block
chanting his name
Two women console each other on Vilakazi Street
in Soweto - police officers watched as mourners sang songs, held hands
and swayed outside Mandela's early home
In the village of Qunu, where Mandela grew up,
soldiers with armoured vehicles guarded his childhood home, but again
the feeling was one of peaceful remembrance
A makeshift memorial at South Africa House in London
Members of the First AME Church Freedom Mass
Choir pray in honour of the late anti-apartheid leader, whose image
appears on the left, during choir rehearsal on Thursday in Los Angeles,
California
Mr Obama previously had a personal meeting when he was just a Senator.
Mr Obama previously had a personal meeting when he was just a Senator.
'We will not likely see the likes of Nelson Mandela again, so it falls to us' to live by his example and 'make decisions not by hate but by love,' Mr Obama said in the press conference.
He said that the thoughts and prayers of the first family and the American people were with Mr Mandela's family.
'His life's work meant long days away from those who loved him most,' saying that he hoped they were able to value the last few months together.
Westminster Abbey will hold a national service of thanksgiving for the life of Mr Mandela after the state funeral in South Africa.
A book of condolence will be opened at St Margaret's Church at the Abbey from 9.30am today.
Hundreds of people formed a long queue at South Africa House in Trafalgar Square to write in a book of condolence set up there.
At the front of the queue, a tearful Lorna Soar, originally from South Africa, summed up the feelings of many when she said simply: 'At least he's at peace now.'
The House of Commons will begin on Monday with tributes to Nelson Mandela.
Downing Street sources said defence questions would be postponed for a week to give MPs the chance to honour South Africa's first black president.
Prime Minister David Cameron will lead tributes and Labour leader Ed Miliband and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg are expected to speak.
Tributes will begin at 2.30pm, the Commons' usual Monday start time, but it has not yet been confirmed whether any other business will follow.
Far-reaching grief: Lungi Morrison, the
granddaughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, sings after lighting a candle
for Nelson Mandela outside the South African High Commission in London
Taking to the streets: South Africans stand
outside the Mandela family home after the death of Nelson Mandela.
Citizens of the African nation took to the streets after their revered
leader's death
Mementos: Flowers, candles and tributes are left
in memory of Nelson Mandela outside the South African High Commission
across from Trafalgar Square in London, including a poster from the film
about the leader that premiered in the UK the night of his death
Grateful nation: People sit behind burning
candles for former president Nelson Mandela on hearing of his passing
outside his Johannesburg home
Sad but celebratory: While many people looked
sombre and visibly emotional following news of Mandela's death, others
celebrated his achievements by dancing and singing
Rapt: People listen to a radio outside Mr
Mandela's house as news of his death was announced by South African
president Jacob Zuma
A world indebted: Press gather outside Mandela's
home. World leaders across the globe learned the somber news from South
Africa's President Zuma. Many of them, notably US President Barack
Obama, expressed their indebtedness to the late freedom fighter
'Nelson Mandela showed us the true meaning of courage, hope, and reconciliation,' Cameron said. 'My heart goes out to his family - and to all in South Africa and around the world whose lives were changed through his courage.'
Cameron tweeted that the flag at No 10 Downing Street would be flown at half-mast.
'A great light has gone out in the world,' Cameron said. 'Nelson Mandela was a hero of out time.
Although increasingly frail, Mandela had been in an out of the hospital over the past five years, he was last rushed to hospital on June 8th this year.
A nation mourns: South African president
Jacob Zuma tells the world of Mandela's passing in this screen grab of
his Thursday address
'I cannot fully imagine my life without the
example that Nelson Mandela set,' said President Obama at a news
conference. The White House said the US president will travel to South
Africa to attend Mandela's fuenral
Just before his death: Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge as they arrived Thursday night to the UK premier of Mandela:
Long Walk to Freedom just before the film's inspiration and subject died
at 95
The Duke and Duchess were in high spirits upon
their arrival (left) to the Nelson Mandela film, unaware the great
freedom fighter had died just hours before. They were discreetly told of
his passing near the end of the film and left in a somber mood
Ominous timing: Britain's Prince William, Duke
of Cambridge, greets Zindzi Mandela, right, and her sister Zenani, the
daughters of former Nelson Mandela at the UK premier. The sisters
reportedly only learned of their father's death as they watched the
movie about his life
Press: A selection of UK newspapers react to the
death of Nelson Mandela. South Africa's first black president died at
the age of 95 at home in Johannesburg
Mandela in London. South Africans took to the
streets of Johannesburg in their droves to mourn former president Nelson
Mandela after news of his death broke
The
South African government has never disclosed the full extent of his
illness, but reputable news sources revealed that his liver and kidneys
were functioning at just 50 percent. South Africans took to the streets of
Johannesburg in their droves to mourn former president Nelson Mandela
after news of his death broke
Mourners
converged on Mandela's home in the capital to light candles and pay
tribute to the man who ended apartheid and gave them their freedom.While some looked sombre and quietly said prayers following Mandela's passing, others celebrated his achievements in a loud show of patriotism and pride.
Crowds, made up of all creeds, races and religions, sang loudly together, danced and waved candles just yards from where the former president died.
Many chanted 'it's in our hands now', referring to the legacy that Mandela has left and that many of the crowd now feel is their responsibility to continue.
Hundreds of people waved South Africa flags, embraced, clapped and chanted Mr Mandela's name as they remembered their first democratically elected president.
Here UK Prime Minister David Cameron, meets with
Mandela in 2006 in Johannesburg. Cameron led the UK tributes to the
South African leader Thursday. 'Nelson Mandela showed us the true
meaning of courage, hope, and reconciliation,' said the PM
'I STUDIED HIS WORDS AND WRITINGS': PRESIDENT OBAMA EXPRESSES GRATITUDE TO MANDELA AS HE PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE LATE LEADER
OBAMA'S ENTIRE SPEECH AS FOLLOWS...
At his trial in 1964, Nelson Mandela closed his statement from the dock saying: “I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
And Nelson Mandela lived for that ideal, and he made it real. He achieved more than could be expected of any man. Today, he has gone home. And we have lost one of the most influential, courageous, and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this Earth. He no longer belongs to us – he belongs to the ages.
Through his fierce dignity and unbending will to sacrifice his own freedom for the freedom of others, Madiba transformed South Africa – and moved all of us. His journey from a prisoner to a president embodied the promise that human beings – and countries – can change for the better.
His commitment to transfer power and reconcile with those who jailed him set an example that all humanity should aspire to, whether in the lives of nations or our own personal lives. And the fact that he did it all with grace and good humour, and an ability to acknowledge his own imperfections, only makes the man that much more remarkable. As he once said, “I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”
I am one of the countless millions who drew inspiration from Nelson Mandela’s life. My very first political action, the first thing I ever did that involved an issue or a policy or politics, was a protest against apartheid. I studied his words and his writings. The day that he was released from prison gave me a sense of what human beings can do when they’re guided by their hopes and not by their fears. And like so many around the globe, I cannot fully imagine my own life without the example that Nelson Mandela set, and so long as I live I will do what I can to learn from him.
To Graca Machel and his family, Michelle and I extend our deepest sympathy and gratitude for sharing this extraordinary man with us. His life’s work meant long days away from those who loved him the most. And I only hope that the time spent with him these last few weeks brought peace and comfort to his family.
To the people of South Africa, we draw strength from the example of renewal, and reconciliation, and resilience that you made real. A free South Africa at peace with itself – that’s an example to the world, and that’s Madiba’s legacy to the nation he loved.
We will not likely see the likes of Nelson Mandela again. So it falls to us as best we can to forward the example that he set: to make decisions guided not by hate, but by love; to never discount the difference that one person can make; to strive for a future that is worthy of his sacrifice.
For now, let us pause and give thanks for the fact that Nelson Mandela lived – a man who took history in his hands, and bent the arc of the moral universe toward justice. May God bless his memory and keep him in peace.
PARTING WORDS TO AN HISTORIC LEADER: SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA'S GOODBYE SPEECH TO NELSON MANDELA
'My fellow South Africans, our beloved Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, the founding president of our democratic nation has departed.
'He passed on peacefully in the company of his family around 20.50 on December 5 2013.
'He is now resting. He is now at peace.
'Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost a father.
'Although we knew that this day would come, nothing can diminish our sense of a profound and enduring loss.
'His tireless struggle for freedom earned him the respect of the world.
'His humility, his compassion, and his humanity earned him their love. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Mandela family. To them we owe a debt of gratitude.
'They have sacrificed much and endured much so that our people could be free.
'Our thoughts are with his wife Mrs Graca Machel, his former wife Ms Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, with his children, his grandchildren, his great grandchildren and the entire family.
'Our thoughts are with his friends, comrades and colleagues who fought alongside Madiba over the course of a lifetime of struggle.
'Our thoughts are with the South African people who today mourn the loss of the one person who, more than any other, came to embody their sense of a common nationhood.
'Our thoughts are with the millions of people across the world who embraced Madiba as their own, and who saw his cause as their cause.
'This is the moment of our deepest sorrow.
'Our nation has lost its greatest son.
'Yet, what made Nelson Mandela great was precisely what made him human. We saw in him what we seek in ourselves.
'And in him we saw so much of ourselves.
'Fellow South Africans, Nelson Mandela brought us together, and it is together that we will bid him farewell.
'Our beloved Madiba will be accorded a state funeral.
'I have ordered that all flags of the Republic of South Africa be lowered to half-mast from tomorrow, December 6, and to remain at half-mast until after the funeral.
'As we gather to pay our last respects, let us conduct ourselves with the dignity and respect that Madiba personified.
'Let us be mindful of his wishes and the wishes of his family.
'As we gather, wherever we are in the country and wherever we are in the world, let us recall the values for which Madiba fought.
'Let us reaffirm his vision of a society in which none is exploited, oppressed or dispossessed by another.
'Let us commit ourselves to strive together - sparing neither strength nor courage - to build a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa.
'Let us express, each in our own way, the deep gratitude we feel for a life spent in service of the people of this country and in the cause of humanity.
'This is indeed the moment of our deepest sorrow.
'Yet it must also be the moment of our greatest determination.
'A determination to live as Madiba has lived, to strive as Madiba has strived and to not rest until we have realised his vision of a truly united South Africa, a peaceful and prosperous Africa, and a better world.
'We will always love you, Madiba!
'May your soul rest in peace.
'God Bless Africa.
'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika.'
Speaking from the Odeon cinema, Prince William said: 'I just wanted to say it's extremely sad and tragic news.
'We were just reminded what an extraordinary and inspiring man Nelson Mandela was. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family. It's very sad.'
It was not clear what had happened to Mandela's daughter, including Zindzi, who appeared jovial and relaxed walking the red carpet before the premiere but seemed overcome when she got inside.
In this 2011 meeting, the first daughters Malia
(left) and Sasha (right) join their mother Michelle Obama for a sit down
with Mandela
Unforgettable pose: Prime Minister David Cameron
meets with Mandela in 2008, as the South African leader shoots his
famously endearing grin
Nelson Mandela is pictured during a visit by
former U.S. president Bill Clinton on July 17, 2012 at his home in Qunu,
Eastern Cape, on the eve of his 94th birthday
The former lawyer spent 27 years in apartheid prisons for his political beliefs before becoming South Africa's first black president.
The former lawyer spent 27 years in apartheid prisons for his political beliefs before becoming South Africa's first black president.
But it was the magnanimity he showed his former oppressors - coupled with an intense personal charm - that has earned him admirers all over the globe.
A huge state funeral, attended by most world leaders, is expected to be held in the coming days.
Having served just one term as president of South Africa, Mr Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has only rarely been glimpsed in public since then.
Pope John Paul II with Mandela in 1995. The
former lawyer spent 27 years in apartheid prisons for his political
beliefs before becoming South Africa's first black president
Mandela and Princess Diana speak with the press after meeting in the Mandela's home, Genadendal, in Cape Town, South Africa
Late singer Whitney Houston cuddles up to Pres Nelson Mandela at the Union Buildings in Pretoria
His last public appearance was at football's 2010 World Cup final when his wife had to support his arm to allow him to wave to the crowd.
His last public appearance was at football's 2010 World Cup final when his wife had to support his arm to allow him to wave to the crowd.
He damaged his lungs and contracted tuberculosis while digging in a lime quarry during the 18 years he spent imprisoned on the notorious Robben Island, outside Cape Town.
He has been admitted to hospital numerous times over past decade - and five times since December last year.
He underwent treatment for, among other things, a respiratory disorder, a 'long-standing abdominal complaint', gallstones and, in April this year, for the removal of fluid from his lungs.
Jacob Zuma's decision, last April, to allow himself to be filmed standing next to an unsmiling, expressionless Mandela in hospital drew much adverse comment, including from Mandela's family.
The ANC's main political opposition, the Democratic Alliance, has also been accused of trying to 'hijack' his legacy by highlighting its historical connection to the man most South African refer to by his clan name Madiba.
Upcoming release: A still from The Weinstein
Company shows Idris Elba as Nelson Mandela in the upcoming film Mandela:
Long Walk to Freedom
A still Idris Elba, left, as Nelson Mandela, and
Riaad Moosa, as Mandela's fellow political prisoner Ahmed Kathrada, in
the biographical film. The film premier in the UK the night Mandela died
He spent the next 27 years behind bars, 18 of them on the notorious Robben Island, near Cape Town.
The film documenting parts of this struggle, Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, stars Idris Elba as Mandela and Naomie Harris as his former wife Winnie.
In recent years various family members and friends have argued about how best to maintain his legacy. The disputes are now likely to worsen.
His marriage to Winnie had fallen apart after his release and he was now married to Graca Machel, the widowed former first lady of neighboring Mozambique.
He is survived by Machel; his daughter Makaziwe by his first marriage, and daughters Zindzi and Zenani by his second.
While some political commentators have expressed a fear that Mandela's death could destabilise South Africa by re-opening racial wounds, most South Africans are well used to the idea of his passing.
NELSON MANDELA: THE ANTI-APARTHEID FIGHTER WHO WENT TO PRISON FOR THE CAUSE
1960
69 peaceful protesters are killed by police in the Sharpeville
Massacre; in the aftermath the ANC is banned, prompting Mandela to go
into hiding. While in hiding he forms an underground military group with
armed resistance
1962 After living on the run for seventeen months he is arrested on August 5 and imprisoned in the Johannesburg Fort. On October 25 he is sentenced to five years in prison but again goes on the run
1964 On June 12 Mandela is captured and convicted of sabotage and treason. He is sentenced to life imprisonment at the age of 46, initially on Robben island where he would be kept for 18 years
1968 His mother dies and his eldest son is killed in a car crash but he is not allowed to attend either of the funerals
1980 The exiled Oliver Tambo launches an international campaign for the release of his friend
1986 Sanctions against South Africa are tightened, costing millions in revenue
1990 On February 11, Nelson Mandela is released from prison after 27 years. He had served the last part of his sentence in Victor Verster Prison in Paarl.
President De Klerk lifts the ban on the African National Congress (ANC). The ANC and the white National Party begin talks on forming a multi-racial democracy for South Africa.
1991 Mandela becomes President of the ANC. The International Olympic Committee lift a 21-year ban on South African athletes competing in the Olympic Games.
1992 He separates from Winnie Mandela after she is convicted of kidnapping and being an accessory to assault. The following March they divorce.
1993 Nelson Mandela and Mr de Klerk are awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
1994 April 26 Free Elections where black South Africans are allowed to vote for the first time. Nelson Mandela runs for President and the ANC win 252 of the 400 seats in the national assembly
May Mandela is inaugurated as the first black president of South Africa. He appoints de Klerk as deputy president and forms the racially mixed Government of National Unity.
1995 South Africa hosts the 1995 Rugby World Cup and South Africa wins. Nelson Mandela wears a Springbok shirt when he presents the trophy to Afrikaner captain Francois Pienaar. This gesture was seen as a major step in the reconciliation of white and black South Africans.
1998 Marries Graca Machel, the widow of the former president of Mozambique, on his 80th birthday.
1999 Relinquishes presidency in favour of Thabo Mbeki, who was nominated ANC president in 1997.
2001 Nelson Mandela was diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer
2004 June: Nelson Mandela announced that he would be retiring from public life at the age of 85
2005 His son, Makgatho Mandela died of AIDS
2010 Mandela makes a rare public appearance at the football World Cup in South Africa
2012 An increasingly frail Mandela is admitted to hospital twice in February and December
Source: www.history-timelines.org.uk
1962 After living on the run for seventeen months he is arrested on August 5 and imprisoned in the Johannesburg Fort. On October 25 he is sentenced to five years in prison but again goes on the run
1964 On June 12 Mandela is captured and convicted of sabotage and treason. He is sentenced to life imprisonment at the age of 46, initially on Robben island where he would be kept for 18 years
1968 His mother dies and his eldest son is killed in a car crash but he is not allowed to attend either of the funerals
1980 The exiled Oliver Tambo launches an international campaign for the release of his friend
1986 Sanctions against South Africa are tightened, costing millions in revenue
1990 On February 11, Nelson Mandela is released from prison after 27 years. He had served the last part of his sentence in Victor Verster Prison in Paarl.
President De Klerk lifts the ban on the African National Congress (ANC). The ANC and the white National Party begin talks on forming a multi-racial democracy for South Africa.
1991 Mandela becomes President of the ANC. The International Olympic Committee lift a 21-year ban on South African athletes competing in the Olympic Games.
1992 He separates from Winnie Mandela after she is convicted of kidnapping and being an accessory to assault. The following March they divorce.
1993 Nelson Mandela and Mr de Klerk are awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
1994 April 26 Free Elections where black South Africans are allowed to vote for the first time. Nelson Mandela runs for President and the ANC win 252 of the 400 seats in the national assembly
May Mandela is inaugurated as the first black president of South Africa. He appoints de Klerk as deputy president and forms the racially mixed Government of National Unity.
1995 South Africa hosts the 1995 Rugby World Cup and South Africa wins. Nelson Mandela wears a Springbok shirt when he presents the trophy to Afrikaner captain Francois Pienaar. This gesture was seen as a major step in the reconciliation of white and black South Africans.
1998 Marries Graca Machel, the widow of the former president of Mozambique, on his 80th birthday.
1999 Relinquishes presidency in favour of Thabo Mbeki, who was nominated ANC president in 1997.
2001 Nelson Mandela was diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer
2004 June: Nelson Mandela announced that he would be retiring from public life at the age of 85
2005 His son, Makgatho Mandela died of AIDS
2010 Mandela makes a rare public appearance at the football World Cup in South Africa
2012 An increasingly frail Mandela is admitted to hospital twice in February and December
Source: www.history-timelines.org.uk
Indeed, most serious political analysts in the country recognise that Mr Mandela's death is unlikely to create a political shockwave.
More significant, they say, may be the fact that without Mandela's immense moral authority, the ruling ANC party may be more vulnerable to charges of corruption and incompetence.
Mandela, who is generally considered to be 'the father' of modern South Africa, has said that his greatest regret has been his failure to have raised his own children.
He married three times. Two wives remain alive: his ex wife Winnie and Graca Machel. He has three remaining children, another four step children, 17 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.
He was born into African aristocracy, a descendant of kings of the Thembu people, in Transkeiin 1918.
His father had four wives, among whom his mother ranked third.
He was the first of his family to attend school, and it was his teacher who gave him the English name Nelson in place of his given name, Rolihlahla.
At 19, he attended Fort Hare University, where he soon became involved in student politics - or rather, in organising a boycott of them.
Rejecting a marriage arranged for him by his tribal elders, he became briefly a mine guard, then was articled to a Johannesburg law firm.
He began living in the Alexandra black township, and started law studies at Witwatersrand University, where he met fellow students and future political activists Ruth First, Joe Slovo and Harry Schwarz.
In the early 1950s, Mandela became deeply involved in radical resistance to apartheid, while he and fellow-activist Oliver Tambo ran a law firm, offering cheap advice to township residents.
Mandela was initially an admirer of India’s Mahatma Gandhi, committed to non-violent resistance. Yet in 1956, he and 150 others were arrested and charged with treason
QUOTES FROM A GREAT MAN: UNFORGETTABLE WORDS SPOKEN BY NELSON MANDELA THAT HELPED TO SHAPE THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD
‘What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.’
‘If people can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite’.
‘I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear’.
‘Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another’.
‘The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.’
‘Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.’
‘If I had my time over I would do the same again. So would any man who dares call himself a man.’
‘There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.’
‘It always seems impossible until it is done.’
‘It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.’
‘For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2519062/Nelson-Mandela-dead-95.html#ixzz2mnY2DlOI
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