06/12/2013 BBC London News

Tonight, how Londoners are paying tribute to Nelson Mandela. Many have

laid flowers and candles in his memory. He stood for something and

ethos of what he was about not only changed South Africa but it changed

the world. And look up this morning and I've thought there had been a

death. I thought I should wear a `` I thought should wear black, but

this is the rainbow nation. I thought should wear black, but this

is the rainbow nation. I'm wearing blue, red, yellow and whatever

colour I can find. We will be live at South Africa house, where people

are gathering for a vigil to pay respects.

Plus Ken Livingstone tells us how Mandela played a crucial role in

bringing the Olympics to London. Also coming up, a special report .

Could London learn from Seville's cycle safety scheme?

And I will have the latest on the storms, plus the weekend prospects

and a look ahead to next week's weather. Join me for the forecast

later in the programme. Good evening. Londoners had been

paying tribute to Nelson Mandela, thanking him for his legacy and

describing him as a man who changed the world. The former South African

president visited the capital and number of times, thanking the city

for its support for anti`apartheid campaigns. Flowers and candles have

been laid and his statue at Parliament Square. Books of

condolence have been opened at Westminster Abbey and South Africa

house, where a the near Mack's message saluted an aunt who brought

people together through the power of forgiveness and love.

Nelson Mandela was no stranger to London. In 1962, before the trial

which sentenced him to 27 years in prison, he toured the capital to

drum up support from some pathetic British leaders. Denis Healey was

his political guide. I was asked by a friend of his, Mary Benson, a

nurse during the war, to introduce him to few games though. He wanted

to meet you. `` Hugh Gainesville. Mr Mandela's commitment and judgement

changed the country peacefully but cemented his reputation as a global

figure that people today wanted to pay tax to. I thought of them this

morning. This is the rainbow nation. I am in wearing blue, red, yellow,

whatever colour I can find. The ethos of what he is about, it not

only changed South Africa, but the world. To come out with that

humanity and forgiveness, it is fantastic. It teaches the world what

we should be like. His visit to Brixton in 1996 is now part of

London folklore. It not only turned heads, for those who were there, it

changed minds. His visit to Brixton enabled us to start thinking

differently. You cannot fight your way out of problems every day. You

have to think of another strategy. And he came and United Brixton.

Nobody else has achieved that. By coming to Brixton, we see how

somebody who has been at the heart of overcoming the biggest atrocities

that the human condition can injure, who comes here as an

examples of `` as an example of the vocal these that people can

overcome, to inspire the communities that are there. There was a rainbow

of people, of all different backgrounds and all different

generations. Waiting for this guy to arrive. Being massively inspired by

him. Today, the current London Mayor paid his tribute to the

transformational power of the man his people called Madiba. I am from

the generation that grew up in admiration of Nelson Mandela. It is

unquestionably true that in my party, all over the last 50 years,

there were people who took a different line. They would now say

that they were wrong and that his plane. Mandela's presence will

remain in the capital with our memories and statues. Above all, the

one who stands, facing parliament, were once he stood undreamed of an

apartheid free South Africa before embarking on a long march to

freedom. Nelson Mandela's strong connections

with London. In a moment we will cross to South Africa square, where

a vigil is being held. `` South Africa House. But Assad Ahmad is at

Parliament Square. Many different tributes here, flowers at the foot

of Nelson Mandela's statue, candles being lit and messages of support.

So many things. But one thing you do not get an idea here is of the

tribute of tears. Skiers who have rolled `` tears that have rolled out

of the men and women here, who have come here to remember the man who

was a symbol of all these things. Among the cards, this one, saying,

you were a member of my family that are never met. My grandparents told

me great things about this person, a peaceful man, striving for equality

always. Today, the world grieves. That sums up how so many people are

feeling tonight as they come to lay flowers. You have come here to lay

flowers, where have you come from? I have come from south`east London. We

wanted to pay respects to Nelson Mandela. I felt I needed to be here

to pay my respects. He has had such an impact on my life and wanted to

be here with everyone else, friends and family, just to honour him.

Where have you come from, madam? Brookstone. I'm here with my

grandkids and my daughter. And why have you come? Because he spread the

love. He draws you to him because he has a lot of love. And they always

say that love conquers hate. I will leave you to lay your flowers. This

is not the only place in London were tributes have been paid. Down the

road, at South Africa House, a vigil is taking place. And there, we can

join my colleague. There are hundreds of people here

for the vigil this evening outside South Africa House. For the vigil

began, people have been coming throughout the day to pay their

respects. We have heard from the mayor, who was here earlier, as was

David Cameron. South Africa House played a focal feature in the

anti`apartheid movement of the 1970s and 1980s. And that movement started

in the capital. The Springboks came to Twickenham

but the police were there. They came by motorbike and horse. 500, ready

to deal with the anti`apartheid demonstrators threatening to smash

the South Africa players to. London in 1969, ten years after the

anti`apartheid movement was born. One of the biggest demonstrations

against the South African regime that this country had ever seen.

Jeers from the rugby enthusiasts and booze and whistles from the

demonstrators. `` cheers from. For years, anti`apartheid protesters

gathered outside the South African Embassy in London. For ten years,

people lined the street. We used to have a headquarters for the ANC,

Mandela's party, here in London. It was bombed by agents of South

Africa. We were denounced as being in favour of a Communist state.

Actually, all Mandela wanted was equality. This is garish Street

North in Camden, where the boycott movement was first founded. `` Gow

Street North. It started in humble beginnings, when exiles met in

London to form the boycott movement to campaign against South African

goods. Many future African leaders were based in London. In a sense, it

was natural that London would become the focal point of the struggle

against apartheid internationally. # Free Nelson Mandela...

# I'm begging you. In 1994, what started as a protest song became an

anthem. The man who wrote it is still a musician in London.

It was played inside football stadiums in South Africa. It was

amazing to see that on the news because it was the only place that

black people were allowed to congregate. The United Democratic

front used to play at and the ANC used to make speeches in the

football stadiums, amazingly. The song proved a centrepiece of the

Mandela concert for years later in Wembley. London sending a message of

`` anti`apartheid message around the world.

Christabel Gurney was part of that message for years, running the

anti`apartheid news. The main impetus to the change in South

Africa was, of course, the people inside the country who rose up in

the 80s and the Africa National Congress. But I think that the

collapse of apartheid was helped by the sanctions campaign. Badges and

banner headlines made in London were not in vain, it seems.

We heard in that report from someone who was the vice`chair of the

anti`apartheid movement in the 1980s and 1990s. Someone else who was part

of that movement joins me now. You met Mr Mandela? I did. We were

invited to breakfast at Buckingham Palace. When he came to Britain

after being released, he asked to meet with the Archbishop, to say

thank you to him and to the British people and to the anti`apartheid

movement, for the role they played in freeing him and ending apartheid.

It was unbelievable. What was he like thematic and cannot describe.

`` what was he like? I cannot discredit. He was very low`key. It

was like having breakfast with your grandfather. It was the five of us

around a table having a conversation. He asked me fire was

hungry, if I was on a diet. I'd just could not eat! It was amazing. He

was understated, he had so much gravitas. `` if I was hungry. But

not arrogant at all. Very down`to`earth. Very. Just like a

private breakfast with your grandad. Thank you. That vigil is going on

until just after 7:30pm this evening. It is a 95 minute vigil, to

mark the 95 years of Nelson Mandela's life.

From Trafalgar Square, thank you both.

With me now, two people who knew Nelson Mandela, his `` his

goddaughter, Tanya von Ahlefeldt, and Sharon Grant, the widow of one

of London's first black MPs, who Mr Mandela visited here in the 80s.

They give are coming in, both of you. Tanya, you had a connection

with him, even though you had not met him during childhood. My father

was actually one of the ten accused at his trial. I was in my mothers

womb at the time. Just before I was born, my father passed a note to

Nelson Mandela, to say, further to some of the more dubious boasts that

he has held, would he do the honour of being godfather to their child.

And he passed a note back down and said that the honour would be all

his. What does it feel like, having someone as iconic as Nelson Mandela

as your godfather? Obviously, it is the most extraordinary honour. It is

something I am mixed really proud of. Sadly, my father died young, but

we were always brought up with the ethos that Madiba exuded. We wanted

to keep that, going forward. And was that your experience? I know that

your husband was with Reverend Jesse Jackson, the David Nelson Mandela

was freed. `` the day Nelson Mandela was freed. What did your husband say

about that date two it was probably the most important day in his life.

`` about that day? It was probably the most important day in his life.

It was the day that he and so many others had been campaigning for for

so long. The fact that it happened was amazing. The fact that he was

able to be there on the day, as Madiba what to freedom, I think he

was pretty much blown away by it. And he was in the City Hall in Cape

Town in the middle of quite considerable chaos at the time. And

both he and Jesse Jackson and his wife were virtually mobbed by the

crowd. I think Jesse got into difficulty. I think is wife's

clothes were torn. At the crowd opened and let him through the cos

they thought that he was the leader of the movie at the time. Such was

the attraction and charisma of this man. But he also went out of his way

to support the black community here. `` the leader of Namibia. When he

came, he made a point of not just contacting those activists but he

did come to visit black communities in London and elsewhere. He made a

point of identifying with the struggles that were going on here.

Around the Stephen Lawrence issue and many others, red stop and

search, which was a huge issue. `` around stop and search. He had no

shame in identifying himself with those issues domestic way. Tanya,

much has been said about his charisma, making people feel at

ease. `` domestically. What was your first meeting with him like? He was

exactly that. It was the most extraordinary thing. And being at an

event that he was supposed to be at, the 40th anniversary of the

cease`fire, and he was not present. At the end of the event, we were

taken to water Cicely's house and he was there. The reason he was there

was because Walter was feeling really. He watched it on TV with

Walter Rather than going their full stop I was introduced to him. ``

rather than going there. Full. Full I wasn't used to him. He bear hugged

me and said, how wonderful to meet you. I said, I think it is the other

way around! I mean, what an amazing man. In amongst all these incredible

icons that were there with me. He actually wanted to sit and talk to

me and hear about my life. We have seen lots of people in London

wanting to pay their respects and thank him. This was a man who spent

almost a third of his life in prison, fighting injustice. Do you

think people much younger in London are where of how much of a force for

change he was? I think we still have a job to do, those of us who are

getting on a bit, to ensure that young people do understand, how many

pressures there are young people today, in times gone by, they were

much greater. There are lessons to be learnt about how one copes with

that and what tax dicks one uses `` what tactics one uses to address

these issues that still exist. We have a job to do in trying to use

the example of Mandela to encourage and educate our younger citizens in

London. Thank you both for coming. Coming up later: A full sports

round`up, including how Premier League clubs will pay tribute to

Mandela this weekend. In other news, a South London man

convicted for his part in the "honour" killing of a 20`year`old

woman from Mitcham has been sentenced to eight years in prison.

Dana Amin was found guilty of preventing the lawful and decent

burial of Banaz Mahmod. The Iraq Eclipse woman was strangled in 2006

by Rose Tibbs who disapproved of her boyfriend. Her body was buried in a

suitcase in Birmingham. Four relatives have already been jailed

for the murder. A former Essex police woman who

failed to properly investigate a rape allegation and then told the

claimant it had been dropped has been jailed for four months. Hannah

Notley from Benfleet pleaded guilty last month to a charge of misconduct

in a public office. Essex police they they are waiting for

recommendations from the independent lease complaints commission. BBC

London understands that a key adviser to Boris Johnson is to

recommend changes to street design and to the law to make cycling

safer. The tamari, who is on the Mayor's

design advisory group, has been gathering evidence from 40 cities

around the world. Like many cyclists, Peter Murray

thinks London is a dangerous place. I cycle as though everybody is out

to kill me. But unlike many, he may be able to do something about it.

The big roads are really dangerous. Because Peter Murray is a leading

expert on city design, and serves on the mayor's design advisory group.

He is also a passionate long`distance cyclist who has been

collecting evidence about the cycling provision in every city he

has cycled through. Copenhagen, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Cincinnati,

Chicago. Cannes, Lyon, Paris. So we joined Peter Murray on his final

city visit before he reports to the mayor's cycling adviser, to Seville,

in Spain. It is interesting to see what happens when we come up to this

junction. And he has a personal reason to be interested in

junctions. His friend and fellow architecture expert, Francis

Golding, was killed in London last month. Francis Golding was cycling

straight on at a junction not dissimilar to this. He was killed

when a coach turned left. But in Seville, they do things differently.

The cyclists are taken off the road. They share the pavement with the

pedestrian. It means the cyclists are then separated from vehicles and

are less likely to be knocked over and killed. If this had been in

place, it would definitely have saved his and many other people's

lives. Peter Murray says in just six years, Seville has spent around ?30

million on its cycle network, and London could learn from it. This is

a part of what the Americans call road dieting, semi`circular concrete

sections which are obviously plugged into the roadway. We have come right

the way across town, and we have been on a protected route the whole

way. In London just in the last few weeks, there have been six people

killed. Of course, London's streets are generally narrower, and this

Seville cyclist told us some motorists still don't pay enough

attention to the cycle routes when they meet the road. I think it is

not safe, because the mentality of the driver in Seville must change.

So, after cycling through 40 cities, what will Peter Murray be

recommending London should do? People changing their behaviour

through information, changing their behaviour through the law and then

changing their behaviour through infrastructure. We need to have a

radical change in the quality of infrastructure. The mayor has the

money to do that, and the sooner he can implement it all, the better. Is

he just chasing rainbows, or will Boris Johnson think it is a vision

worth pursuing? We will find out in the coming months.

Let's turn to the sport now, with events this weekend also paying

tribute to Mandela. That is right. A minute's applause

will be held at Premier League matches this weekend in tribute to

former South African president Nelson Mandela, who died yesterday.

Ahead of Arsenal hosting Everton on Sunday, Gunners manager Arsene

Wenger praised Mandela's capacity to inspire the sporting world and

beyond. He is a huge example for everybody, not only in sport, but

worldwide. For me, for his huge democratic attitude and for his

capacity of forgiveness. Saracens rugby players will wear

back on bands for their Heineken Cup match at Italian side Zebre tomorrow

as a tribute to Mandela. The club 's Chief Executive is South African

Edward Griffiths. He was CEO of the South African rugby union during the

1995 World Cup, a tournament the host nation won, with Mandela

wearing the famous Springbok jersey to present the cup to captain

Francois Pienar. It has been a mixed 24 hours for

Brentford fans. They could be set to lose their popular manager Uwe

Rosler to Wigan. Benford 's owners have given the FA Cup holders

permission to speak to Rosler, who led the team to last season's

play`off final. But there was good news for the club late last night,

when they got the go`ahead to build a new stadium. Hounslow Council

approved plans for a 20,000 seat venue at Lionel Road.

Three youth football teams from Arsenal, Tottenham and West Ham have

been chosen to travel to Ypres in Belgium to represent the Premier

League and learn about the First World War. Before leaving, the teams

have had history lessons about the men from their clubs who fought and

died in the Great War. They will visit museums and cemeteries as well

as attending a last post ceremony at the Menin Gate. On Sunday, they will

also play against other youth teams from Europe. Words cannot describe

being able to witness such a monumental event to come together

and celebrate by playing football. Football has wrought us together,

and it shows what great things it can do.

That is all the sport. Now the weather. As far as that

flood risk is concerned, it is good news, because the flood risk should

be receding over the next few days. But during the next 24 hours, keep

an eye on the situation in Essex. It will be a cloudy weekend, but mostly

dry. It will probably feel a little less cold than it has felt today.

Tonight, the cloud will continue to thicken. If you are out and about

overnight, you might feel a few drops of drizzly rain on that

breeze. But with all that cloud above us, itch not be as cold as

last night. Temperatures are not quite low enough for frost. You will

be really unlucky if you have frost on the grass. Tomorrow, although we

have quite a bit of cloud, it will brighten up from time to time.

Temperatures will not be far off 10 Celsius, 50 Fahrenheit. As soon as

it gets dark, the clouds thicken up and once again, tomorrow night,

there was likely to be drizzly rain from time to time. Sunday should be

dry. The skies will look a bit like that, with temperatures in double

figures. We might even make 11 Celsius in London. Next week, not

much is changing. The outlook is mostly dry. It will turn cloudy.

Temperatures will recover a bit. You might get a bit of frost and for

that night. Before we go, a reminder of the

day's headlines. There have been tributes from around the world to

Nelson Mandela, who has died at the age of 95. The prime minister joined

those signing a book of condolence at other figure house in London. The

Queen said he had worked tirelessly for the good of his country.

Hundreds of Robert Es have been flooded across the east coast of

England. A clean`up operation has begun in Boston in Lincolnshire,

where flood offences were breached. In Norfolk, a number of properties

fell into the sea after a cliff collapsed. And a Royal Marine filmed

executing an injured Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan has been

given a life sentence for his murder.

Sergeant Alexander Blackman was told he will serve at least ten years in

risen . That is it for now. I will be back

with the latest during the ten o'clock News. From all of us on the

team here, good evening.