Mandela memorial: “Giant of History “Honored

Tens of thousands of South Africans have joined dozens of world leaders for the national memorial service for former President Nelson Mandela.

The service is being held in front of a vociferous crowd in the FNB stadium in Johannesburg.

US President Barack Obama said Mr Mandela was a “giant of history”, adding: “The world thanks you for sharing Nelson Mandela with us”.

The former South African president died last Thursday, aged 95.

The country is observing a series of commemorations leading up to the funeral on Sunday.

‘A mighty life‘

How do you pay tribute to a man who gave millions of South Africans the chance to start again, the chance to rebuild a broken and divided nation?

You celebrate his life.

A day that was meant to be filled with sorrow and outpourings of grief became a day of celebration as thousands of people from different races and all over the country gathered at the FNB stadium to say their final goodbyes.

If Nelson Mandela could see the people gathered here, I have no doubt that he would be proud. Black, white, Asian and mixed-race people were standing shoulder to shoulder, singing and dancing.

The memorial service is one of the biggest gatherings of international dignitaries in recent years.

There had been fears people would be turned away, but the heavy rain left areas of the 95,000 capacity stadium empty.

Introducing the proceedings, the master of ceremonies, Cyril Ramaphosa, said that Mr Mandela’s “long walk is over… and he can finally rest”.

The first speaker, friend and fellow Robben Island inmate Andrew Mlangeni, said Mr Mandela had “created hope when there was none”.

Mr Obama delivered his address, carried on the White House web site, to huge cheers. He said: “It is hard to eulogise any man… how much harder to do so for a giant of history, who moved a nation towards justice.”

 He said Nelson Mandela had taught the world the power of action and the power of ideas, and that it had taken a man like Mr Mandela to free not only the prisoners but also the jailers.

Mr Obama said: “We will never see the likes of Nelson Mandela again. While I will always fall short of Madiba (Mr Mandela’s clan name), he makes me want to be a better man.”

On his way to the podium, President Obama shook hands with Cuban President Raul Castro, an unprecedented gesture between the leaders of two nations that have been at loggerheads for more than half a century.

M.D