Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete (left) talk with US President Barack Obama.
In Summary
Mediclinic Heart Hospital, where he has been
admitted for almost a month now, his residence at Houghton,
Johannesburg, and his former house in Soweto have been a magnet for
well-wishers.
Johannesburg. South Africans have continued to
flock to key sites associated with Nelson Mandela to lay floral tributes
for the anti-apartheid icon, who is critically ill in hospital.
Mediclinic Heart Hospital, where he has been admitted for almost a month now, his residence at Houghton, Johannesburg, and his former house in Soweto have been a magnet for well-wishers.
Mandela’s house in Soweto has been turned into a museum and is commonly referred to as ‘Mandela House’. It is in Orlando West, number 8115, at the corner of Vilakazi and Ngakane streets, where he lived between 1946 and 1962. Workers at the museum told The Citizen that since Mandela was admitted on June 8, the number of people visiting the place had increased significantly.
Visitors, including foreign tourists, brought cards, flowers, balloons, presents, teddy bears, artwork and posters.
US President Barack Obama also paid tribute to Mandela during his three-day visit to the country, describing South Africa’s first democratically elected president as “a man of my inspiration”.
A Durban resident, Ms Nomnikelo Ndelu, 80, was among those who visited Mandela House at the weekend.
“You can imagine staying behind bars for 27 years, far from the family, friends and relatives. He would have been still strong, but I think his stay in jail for all those years took its toll physically, mentally and psychologically,” she said.
Johannesburg resident Mammuso Makhanya, who brought her two sons to pay tribute at Mandela’s Houghton house, said: “Mandela was a gift from God who we, South Africans, exported to our neighbours, other African countries and the world in general.
“While paying tribute to him and his family, we need to ask ourselves what we will do for our nation like Mandela did.”
We need to sacrifice to our nation and built it in the name of Mandela.”
On Saturday, South African President Jacob Zuma said at a joint news conference with President Obama that Mandela remained in a critical condition but stable condition. Thjat was the last update on Mandela’s condition from the government.
Mr Obama did not visit Mandela in hospital, but met privately with some of his relatives and had a telephone conversation with his wife, Graca Machel.
No comments :
Post a Comment