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Preparations underway for the funeral of former South African President Nelson Mandela at the family homestead in Qunu on December 12, 2013. PHOTO | ODD ANDERSEN  AFP

In Summary

• Once the initial public service has been completed, however, the moment of interment will, at the family's request, be a purely private affair
• After three days of lying in state in the capital Pretoria, Mandela's casket will be flown to Qunu early on Saturday morning

By AFP
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JOHANNESBURG

South Africans will not be able to see Nelson Mandela's remains being laid to rest, with his actual burial a strictly private, family affair, a government spokeswoman said Friday.

At least 5,000 people, including foreign dignitaries and senior political figures, are expected to attend Sunday's funeral ceremony in Mandela's boyhood home Qunu.

Once the initial public service has been completed, however, the moment of interment will, at the family's request, be a purely private affair, spokeswoman Phumla Williams told AFP.

"The family has indicated they want to make the burial a family matter," Williams said.

"They don't want it to be televised. They dont want people to see when the body is taken down."

After three days of lying in state in the capital Pretoria, Mandela's casket will be flown to Qunu early on Saturday morning. (READ: S.Africans queue for last view of Mandela)

A special stage and marquee have been erected for the two-hour public funeral service which begins at 8:00 am (9:00 EAT) on Sunday.

As of Thursday evening, 3,000 members of the media had already descended on the remote site in the Eastern Cape.