Residents of Nelson Mandela’s ancestral village Qunu Saturday lit an “eternal flame” at the Mandela museum on a hill overlooking the late stateman’s home. More than 150 villagers sang hymns and gave speeches in isiXhosa, Mandela’s mother tongue. Resident Nozolile Mtirara, 93, said Mandela’s death was a happy occasion because he was now at peace and no longer lying helpless in a hospital bed.
“When I learned of Mandela’s passing, I was sad but also very happy because I knew he had gone to a better place. He had given all he could to the world,” she said. Mzwandile Vena, a former member of the ruling African National Congress’ military wing Umkhonto weSizwe and one of Mandela’s former security guards said working for the icon was “one of the most difficult things.”
He said Mandela used to often ignore security protocol by asking to get out of the car to speak to ordinary South Africans. “He always wanted to stop and talk to people. He loved people,” Vena said. Military trucks, ambulances and construction vehicles were parked outside Mandela’s Qunu home to prepare for the Nobel laureate’s funeral. Young villagers spoke of their pride at being selected to build grandstands on Mandela’s property for the event. “We will work day and night, but we are looking forward to it. This is a historic occasion, and it’s a privilege to be involved,” said Patrick Nelani, who was overseeing the construction of the grandstands supposed to seat 4,000 people.
The funeral will not be open to the public, but be attended by Mandela’s family, friends, his comrades in the anti-Apartheid struggle, South African politicians as well as various heads of state and celebrities close to Mandela. Mandela, who will be buried at a family gravesite overlooking an aloe field and his home on December 15, spent most of his childhood in Qunu.
He often told journalists some the happiest times of his life were spent in the area’s rolling hills where he played traditional stick fighting games and herded cattle. Roads around Mandela’s property, which sits alongside a major highway that links the village to Cape Town and Durban, have been blocked off by traffic police.
“Mandela was always very interested in us (people from the village) and what we were doing,” said Nelani. “We are all his family. We are so proud to be involved in the funeral.” Another builder, Soni Athankosi, said he was still a child when he first attended a Christmas party that Mandela held for all children in Qunu.
“What I remember most about him was how much he loved us children. He always seemed happy when children were around him,” he remembered. Thapelo Selepi, a pastor from Cape Town, said he had driven 18 hours to Qunu to lay flowers outside of Mandela’s house. “When I heard he had died, I wanted to do something. I couldn’t sit at home watching TV,” Selepi said.
“I bought some flowers and drove through the night. I was tired, but every time I looked at the flowers I could see the smile of Madiba,” he added, referring to Mandela by his clan name. Selepi said one of the most important lessons he had learned from Mandela was that people could achieve anything if they put their mind to it.
Journalists starting to descend on Qunu Saturday morning, desperately trying to get a room in the limited number of hotels, bed and breakfasts and guest houses in the town of Mthatha, 40 kilometres from the village. But most establishments were already completely booked