Week-long mourning of Madiba
Former president Nelson Mandela honoured in week-long state funeral and commemoration services.
A parked vehicle in Progress Avenue with the words ‘RIP Tata’ painted on the back windscreen marked the mourning of former president Nelson Mandela in Roodepoort on Friday 6 December.
Sunday 8 December was the formal start of national and international Mandela celebrations, commemorations and the week-long state funeral organised for the affectionately named Tata. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela passed away in his Houghton home on Thursday 5 December at the age of 95.
Throughout the week international world leaders will have arrived in South Africa to attend services remembering Madiba.
US president Barack Obama and wife Michelle as well as three former occupants of the White House, British prime minister David Cameron, French president Francois Hollande and UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon are among the many honourable guests at a tribute on Tuesday 10 December at the FNB Stadium in Soweto. 80 000 are said to attend. Other celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey, singer-activist Bono and British billionaire Richard Branson are also to come to South Africa, mourning.
As reported by Independent Online, 11 000 troops have been mobilised to ensure security during key funeral events. Until he is laid to rest on Saturday 15 December in Qunu in the Eastern Cape, the body of Nelson Mandela will be lying in state for three days at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
His remains will be transported daily between 1 Military Hospital in Thaba Tshwane and the Union Buildings to afford as many mourners as possible the opportunity to say goodbye.
Around 3 000 national and international journalists are said to be covering the week’s events.
