Nelson Mandela's Hospital Dream Comes True in South Africa

The Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital is the fourth of its kind on the continent and will provide highly specialised services for children. The Hospital was a fulfilment of one of Madiba's greatest dreams. The world class hospital is only the fourth of its kind on the continent, while a country like Canada has 23 such hospitals.

 The Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital began construction on 22 April 2014. Its construction was funded by donations from corporations, key partners and citizens to a total of 1 billion.

 "Every child counts and matters...

Bill Gates Presents 14th Annual Nelson Mandela Lecture

Delivering the 2016 Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture at the University of Pretoria, philanthropist and entrepreneur Bill Gates has said he was optimistic about the future of the continent.

Madiba estate executors meet over Winnie's Qunu bid

The executors of Nelson Mandela’s estate will on Thursday meet to discuss Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s request for control of his family home in Qunu.

Madikizela-Mandela made legal representation to the executors in a lawyer’s letter - written on Mandela’s birthday – in which she claimed rightful ownership of the homestead for herself and her daughters Zindzi and Zenani Mandela.

She followed it up with a second letter asking for urgency on the matter, claiming concern for starving cattle on the Eastern Cape property.

Madiba’s estate executors – Judge President Themba Sangoni, Deputy Judge President Dikgang Moseneke and lawyer George Bizos – will on Thursday meet to discuss Madikizela-Mandela’s bid for Qunu.

Madikizela-Mandela’s lawyer Mvuso Notyesi, who has said Madikizela-Mandela’s claim was "not an attack on his will but an assertion of customary and traditional rights", said they would await clarity from the executors.

Madikizela-Mandela, in her appeal, claims: “During 1989, when the late Mr Mandela was still in prison, Mrs Winnie Mandela sought and obtained a residential site in the Qunu Communal Land, from the Chiefs and King of the AbaThembu.

“And upon Mandela’s release from prison in 1990 the home became the house of Mr Nelson Mandela, Mrs Madikizela-Mandela and their children. Customarily, the property and the house became the house of Mrs Madikiizela as the second wife to the late Mr Nelson Mandela.”

Madikizela-Mandela argues that custom dictates that the property should go to her, the daughters she had with Mandela and their descendants. The couple was married for 38 years before their divorce which saw them reach an out-of-court settlement.

But Madikizela-Mandela’s request may be seen as being out of line with what Mandela wanted. She was not mentioned anywhere in his will.

The will clearly stated that the Qunu property was to become part of the NRM Family Trust for the benefit of “the Mandela family and my third wife and her two children” and that it be used to “preserve the unity of the Mandela family”.

Mandela has been buried at the Qunu homestead.

Winnie Mandela wants Qunu: Lawyers file claim

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela's lawyers have filed papers at the high court in Mthatha, to lay a claim on her former husband’s home in Qunu. Madikizela-Mandela says the house belongs to her in terms of customary law. While Nelson Mandela's will says"The Qunu property should be used inorder to preserve the unity of the Mandela family".

Nelson Mandela memory II

Prince Charles with King Zwelonke Sigcawn of Xhosa tribe.

Winnie Mandela and Graca Machel

 

 Makaziwe Mandela on the right

Nelson Mandela Memory

From left Winnie mandela, Jacob Zuma, Winnie Mandela

The first African President of South Africa - Nelson Mandela

The late first president of South Africa Nelson Mandela with his first wife late Evelyne Mase in their wedding in 1944.

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela with his second wife Nomzamo Winfreda Madikizela on their wedding day on June  14, 1958.

Nelson Mandela on his birthday ( 80 years) in  1998, it was the same day that he married  Graca Machel.

Nelson Mandela

Tribute paid to Nelson Mandela in London

Two of Nelson Mandela’s daughters joined Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu, British Prime Minister David Cameron and Prince Harry on Monday at a memorial service for the former South African president in London.

South Africa’s deputy president, Kgalema Motlanthe, was also among about 2,000 guests invited to Westminster Abbey to celebrate the life and work of Mandela, who died in December aged 95.

In an address to the congregation, Tutu praised the anti-apartheid movement in Britain, including those who had picketed the South African embassy and helped boycott South African sport in the 1970s, such as former minister Peter Hain.

“Thank you, you who regularly picketed South Africa House, thank you elegant ladies who boycotted South African goods, thank you to all those who followed the long-haired Peter Hain to stop South African sports, thank you all those incredible young people in other parts of the world,” Tutu said.

The former archbishop of Cape Town added: “What would have happened had Mandela died in prison as was the intention and hope of the upholders of apartheid?

“I suppose most would have regarded him as no better than a terrorist — after all, persons in high positions in Britain and the US did dismiss him as such.”

Prince Harry attended as a representative of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, while other guests included Mandela’s two daughters by his second wife Winnie, Zenani and Zindziswa, and actor Idris Elba, who played Mandela in a film last year.

Hain, whose parents fled apartheid to Britain and who later served as a minister under former prime minister Tony Blair, told guests of his “great privilege” of having known Mandela.

A permanent memorial stone for Mandela will be installed at the abbey later this year, putting him in the company of Winston Churchill, Shakespeare, Martin Luther King and Oscar Wilde.

The dean of Westminster, John Hall, said: “His remarkable constancy under suffering stands as an example to everyone.

“In addition, his capacity for forgiveness and his generosity of spirit show what humanity at its best can achieve.”

London’s statue of Mandela, unveiled in 2007 in his presence, stands across from the abbey in Parliament Square. (AFP)

Madiba Named Newsmaker of the Year

The late former President Nelson Mandela has been named as the National Press Club's Newsmaker of the Year for 2013.

There was an unprecedented outpouring of emotion when Madiba passed away on 5 December at the age of 95. President Jacob Zuma declared 10 days of mourning.

Press Club chairperson Jos Charle said on Wednesday night that both in terms of impact and media coverage, Nelson Mandela dominated the news in 2013. His death riveted the attention of the world for 10 days.

 It consumed South Africans - and much of the world - as the country pulled out all stops to bury the father of the South African nation with military precision and ancient Xhosa customs.

The world's news media - television, radio and print media - extensively reported on Nelson Mandela's life and his role in South Africa's liberation struggle for weeks following his death.

One hour after the announcement of his death, two million tweets were generated, with over six million tweets recorded on 5 December.

The hash tags #RIPNelsonMandela, #Madiba and #RIPMandela were the top three topics on Facebook and Twitter that morning. At one stage, there were 95 000 tweets per minute and more than 13 million over a month.

"The Nelson Mandela Facebook page gathered over 2.2 million likes and several posts, including tributes from the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

"Within minutes of the announcement, broadcast internationally, crowds of all hues began flocking to the former president's home where they prayed, sang and laid flowers in front of the world's media," said Charle.

Ninety-one heads of state attended Madiba's funeral, with 4 500 journalists from all over the world covering the funeral. South African broadcast houses ran programmes about Madiba for more than 10 days.

"Add to this the fact that for 86 days last year, the world's media camped outside the Medi-Clinic Heart hospital in Pretoria where Mandela had been admitted for a recurring lung infection, and it becomes clear that he generated huge media interest - both nationally and internationally," said Charle.

On 11 February - the date on which he was released from Victor Verster Prison - Mandela will become the first non-Briton to be honoured with a memorial service at Westminster Abbey, the iconic venue that has been the coronation church for every British monarch since 1066 and the burial place of 17 royals.

Mandela brought Cuba and USA together

US President Barack Obama shook the hand of Cuban president Raul Castro at a memorial to Nelson Mandela.  The two countries are not in good term for more than half a century. 

Mandela family told to keep calm

The Aba Thembu royal family has urged the Mandela family to keep calm when the estate of former president Mandela's discussed.

Hundreds of dignitaries attended the funeral of Nelson Mandela

1.  Ninety five candles reflected the life of former President   
     Nelson Mandela 
2. President Jacob Zuma was seated with Mandela's ex-wife 
    Madikizela Mandela and Graca Machel 
3. Members of the S.African National Defence Force accompy the
    casket ofNelson Mandela
4. Ahmed Kathrada who was incarcerated at Robben Island with 
    Nelson Mandela 
5. U.S. talk show host and actress Oprah Winfrey
6. Chief Mandla Mandela grandson of Nelson Mandela.

Nelson Mandela

May his soul rest in peace.

Sign interpretor admitted to hospital

The sign language interpretor at former president Nelson Mandela's memorial service has been admitted to psychiatic hospital.

Statue of Nelson Mandela

The newly unveiled statue of global icon Nelson Mandela at the Union Buildings.

Nelson Mandela was the first South African President who was elected in a completely democratic election.

He was an activist against apartheid, and he was the leader of the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC).

Mandela spent twenty-seven years in prison, many of those years were spent on Robben Island.Nelson Mandela won the Nobel prize in 1993.He was born in Mvezo on July 18 of 1918.Mandela's original name was Rolihlahla Mandela.

In his spare time, Nelson Mandela studied to become a lawyer.

Nelson Mandelas favorite breakfast was plain porridge, with fresh fruit and fresh milk.Nelson Mandela has honorary degrees from more than 50 international universities.

Nelson Mandela retired from Public life in June 1999 and started residing in his birth place.

Nelson Mandela's funeral

The marquee where Nelson Mandela's funeral was held.

Nelson Mandela's daughter Dr. Makaziwe Mandela

President Jacob Zuma speaking at Mandela's funeral

Members of Nelson Mandela's family enter the funeral venue with President Jacob Zuma

The funeral of Nelson Mandela has taken place

The funeral of the first African president of South Africa Nelson Mandela Madiba has taken place.  Madiba wanted to be buried in his childhood home in Qunu. About 450 guest only were allowed at the burial. South African airforce fly past and last post were played during the burial.

A hand picked group of mourners started making their way to the burial site of former president Nelson Mandela.

Leaders from the African continent have paid tribute South Africa's first democratically elected president Nelson Mandela.

The coffin of former president Nelson Mandela was borne on a gun carriage as it was transported to the venue for his state funeral in Qunu in the Eastern Cape on Sunday.
The coffin was draped with a South African flag, and was taken along a dusty road lined by SA National Defence Force personnel.
Cannon were fired, accompanied by a military band and parade.