Part 1 Nelson Mandela: The Funeral

Good morning from South Africa, the day of Nelson Mandela's funeral. The

final day in ten days of commemoration. 400 miles away from

here in Pretoria, is Qunu, the village where Mandela lived as a

child and where he returned in his retirement. It will be here who will

be buried today with a full state funeral followed by a more private

burial. Last night his body was watched over in his house by his

family and by elders of the tribe and there was a brief service this

morning just for the family. They have tried to keep the family's role

private as well as this public display which was embarrassing for

the family. Today he will be taken on a gun carriage from his house,

which was modelled on the house of the ward who owned the final place

he lived before he was released from prison. The extraordinary thing is

that he lives in a house which was designed like the house he had in

prison. In the grounds is a huge marquee to take 4500 people today

who have come from all over South Africa. Politicians, lots of ANC

leading figures, but also many people from abroad. The Prince of

Wales flew from Britain, met Mandela on two occasions and was known to be

a great admirer of him. He spoke very warmly of him. The American

talk show host, the billionaire Oprah Winfrey arrived here as well,

and she worked with Nelson Mandela and set up a school in South Africa.

And so these figures arriving. Sir Richard Branson, who set up with

Nelson Mandela an organisation called The Elders and played a part

in helping formulate policies against deprivation and the rest of

it. I am here in Pretoria and George Alagiah is in Qunu able to see down

what is going on in detail. Thank you. Good morning. It is a stunning

morning here in the Eastern Cape and I can just overlook the Nelson

Mandela family compound from where I am standing. They are making those

final preparations before they accompany his body up the hill on

the last leg of his remarkable journey. If you ask people here,

they say Nelson Mandela has come home, this is where he belongs. The

ceremony today is just the last in a whole week of national mourning that

we have been seeing, but there is a sense that for people here, this is

the last chance for them to bid a final farewell to the man who is

their greatest citizen. Thanks, George. We expect this to unroll

firstly with the military procession, then this big service in

the marquee. We don't know exactly what will be in the service, but we

think there will be a Methodist element in it because Nelson Mandela

always played great tribute to the Methodist missionaries that he was

schooled with when he was a young boy. This is the astonishing

marquee. It has just been built in the last few days in great

difficulty because of the heavy rains, people are gathering inside

there. People will be taken from this marquee and they will go up the

hill to the area where there is a family graveyard and he will be

buried there. We will not see the exact moment of the burial but there

is a huge tradition of Thembu burial. It is huge empty spaces with

downland and cattle grazing here. In fact Nelson Mandela had a huge bull

given to him that lived there. It is a great city with huge empty spaces

and a very traditional way of life, people living in small huts. I have

guests with me here and we will be talking to them from time to time

about their memories of Nelson Mandela. Firstly, you work outside

of South Africa representing Oliver Thembu for a long time. My next

guest was in charge of the South African cricketing team, involved in

that tour which there was so much controversy about, the tour when

people come here and there was apartheid restrictions. And somebody

who was with us before, the president of the advisory Council.

We will look to you for descriptions of the honours and medals which we

will see. Nelson Mandela's medals will be taken from the coffin and

given back to the family. What is your abiding memory of Nelson

Mandela? Was it when you first met him? Over the years, there are a lot

of memories. Perhaps the one with great pride was when he was elected

president by the National Assembly and we went onto the steps of the

parliament and he wanted to greet the crowd and his security was

saying to stay here. He knew he had been elected president but he still

had to go and greet the crowd and not necessarily worry about

security. He has always had a great instinct for talking to people. You

said when he came to watch cricket, he would never go straight onto the

grandstand but to talk to everybody first. First he would go to the

catering area and the majority of the people were black women and they

would be hysterical. He was a People's person. Yvonne, what about

you? It was a day when I nearly lost my life. Jesse Jackson's vehicle had

taken a wrong turn and I had an accident and so are Madiba -- saw

Madiba whose face was ashen with strain and I nearly had a heart

attack seeing him live for the first time. The first time you had ever

seen him. You were too young when he went into jail. Of course. Let's

just remember for a moment Nelson Mandela and in brief his life.

Nelson Mandela first became involved in the anti-apartheid movement in

the 1940s. A practising lawyer, he defended those who had fallen foul

of strict apartheid laws. His activism brought him into conflict

with the state and lead to a life sentence in 1964.

Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years. On the 11th of February, 1990, he

walked free. Today the majority of South Africans, black and white,

recognise that apartheid has no future. In 1994 South Africa held

its first elections in which everyone can vote and Mandela became

the country's first black president. Now is the time for celebration for

South Africans to come together for democracy. Never, never, and never

again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience

the oppression of one by another. God bless Africa. Mandela worked to

heal the wounds of the past, using sport to unite the country. At the

Rugby World Cup, he wore the national rugby jersey in a sport

long associated with white dominance. He established the truth

and reconciliation commission, revisiting South Africa's traumatic

past to enable the country to move forward and embrace the future. He

promised to be president for only one term and so he stood down in

1999, but he continued the fight for equality and democracy not only in

South Africa but around the world, becoming one of its most revered

statesman. On his 90th birthday, he passed on the baton. After nearly 90

years of life, it is time for new hands to lift the burden. It is in

your hands now. And here at Qunu this morning, it is just coming up

to eight o'clock in South Africa. The marquee where the service will

take place, the funeral of Nelson Mandela, which is already packed

with people who have arrived here. Some have come from abroad, like the

Prince of Wales, talking to one of President Zuma's former wives. He

met Nelson Mandela, gave him lunch in London, came to South Africa and

met him again. He has taken his place in the marquee along with many

other distinguished figures. This is the tiny village of Qunu. Some of

these little shacks have been put up for the event, but there with the

red roof is Nelson Mandela's house, where he had planned to stay in

retirement. In fact he barely retired, he spent his whole time

coming back to Johannesburg and doing enterprising work. I was here

once when he was here and children can cheering for him at the roadside

so he couldn't really need a quiet, retired life. He had two obsessions

after retirement, one was education for children, and one was the

campaign on HIV and aids which he admitted he had neglected in his

presidency. This was his house, which will become, no doubt, the

shrine. His family are keen that it should not become a shrine but it

probably will do, do you think, Yvonne Muthien? It is very important

that he is buried in because that is what he wanted. It is interesting,

the way in which this funeral will be conducted is not solemn and

formal. A lot of celebration comes into it. It is a joyous celebration

of his life and legacy. We saw this group yesterday dancing. George is

outside the tent. Gorge. -- George.

David, you know, it is interesting, isn't it, because we see Nelson

Mandela as this huge global figure and testament to that is the

international dignitaries and the celebrities that we're seeing at the

funeral today, but if you asked him, he said and he wrote about this, he

called himself at heart a country boy. It is interesting what he said

the first time he came back here to Qunu after he had been in prison. He

wrote about this, he said he was quite shocked. One of the things

that got to him was the amount of litter. He said there was plastic

everywhere and Nelson Mandela was a fastidious man and driving around

Qunu, you realise how poor some of the people are. At night, there is

lots of places where it looks as if there is no electricity. So what it

tells you is the mission he set out on in 1994 when he became president,

there is an awful lot of that work still to do, David.

George, thank you very much. The procession down to the marquee has

just begun led by the police here and there will be a 21 gun salute

and then minute guns, guns firing every minute as this solemn

procession, which doesn't have to go a great distance, the Military

Police and behind them the band and going at a slow march, the

Ceremonial Guard Band. The smoke from the field guns firing

every minute here. The military ceremonial is combined in the most

curious and complex way with the traditional Thembu style of funeral

and with the Christian element largely drawn from Methodism, all

three have been combined today to make this event. Throughout these

ten days, there has been a subtle combination of reflecting Nelson

Mandela in terms of his international reputation and the

family and what happens here in qun qun qun. The field guns lined up

here. There are two sections of field guns. This one firing 21 guns.

Another one firing 21 guns at the end and one minute guns right

through the period of the procession. Another gun fired.

The first sight of the gun carriage there briefly being with the coffin

with the flag of the Union of South Africa on it. They are going at a

quick march now. The gun carriage drawn by a military vehicle there

and the troops on parade, mostly in fatigues, recognisable only by their

berets. They are the medical corp of the Army with those maroon berets.

Figures of the Navy, always in white on parade. Behind the coffin there

are the bearer parties and they're #230r78d of two -- they are formed

of two groups. They are the senior officers and the actual warrant

officers who carry the coffin. The others are there for the formality

of senior officers, paying their respects and being on parade.

The chief of the South African National Defence Force is the chief

military mourner here. We will see him and he was the military arm of

the ANC and was trained in Angola and the Soviet Union and came back

to South Africa when the ban on the ANC was lifted and helped to

restructure the ANC and the Armed Forces and has just taken over from

being chief of the Army and he is chief of the National Defence Force.

The vehicle pulling it which looks huge is actually a gun tractor

therefore a proper device for pulling gun carriages, not horses,

not pulled by people. There is the figure of the chief

there marching beside the coffin. The Navy Guard of Honour there and

the guns are still firing. This is the place where Nelson Mandela said

he wanted to be buried. I don't think he envisaged it would be

something like this. He had the idea simply of a grave in the traditional

way with stones on top of it and one word, Mandela, written on the

tombstone and instead he has this ceremony which is unavaidable

because of the figure he was. He was recognised by the South African

State and by people over the world, it is inevitable he would have a

funeral on this scale and it is inevitable that Qunu will itself

become a place of pilgrimage. It is a very fortunate day today

that the sun is shining here because quite often, only a couple of days

ago, the low cloud and rain and this is a perfect day. It is just coming

up to Christmas, the summer holidays in South Africa and this brilliant

sunshine setting this parade off. We have been joined by a professor

who knows all about, not this side of the ceremonial, but the

traditional burial. How much of the tradition are we going to see here

or is it going to be dominated do you think by the military and the

grandeur of a State occasion? In fact, I expect to see a lot of

traditional activities because Mandela, that is Qunu which is more

of a traditional area and you have traditional people there who also

have a claim on Mandela so I think they will be given an opportunity to

show how they mourn for Mandela. What would have happened this

morning and last night in his house? Those were all private family

ceremonies, weren't they? Yes. I think the first thing that happened,

there might have been a family meeting where counselling was given

to the children and the grandchildren and also there might

have been a meeting of the traditional leaders of Thembu who

would be giving advice to the family on how things should happen in the

traditional way. What sort of things would they be saying to them? In

fact, that Mandela is a chief, for instance. They would make sure that

he is buried with the dignity that he deserves as a chief and also that

Mandela is a chief, I guess, he also has the leopard skin as a chief

and... Leopard skin on top of the coffin? That's what I expected to

see in fact, yes. That the leopard skin would be there on top of the

coffin. Under the South African flag or maybe it will be put on later? At

the moment we have... We have the South African flag now. I don't know

maybe they will put it on later or it maybe put in the grave with him

or if that does not happen, it might be given to one of the heris and --

heirs. What about the talking to the coffin? Is that going on all the

time during the ceremony, this talking to the body of Nelson

Mandela? It will not be all the time, but from time to time, it

might happen. I mean now, for instance, this funeral march is

playing and there is nobody talking now to him. Now, if the coffin is in

motion nobody should be talking. The talking happens when the coffin is

at a standstill and then one of the elders of the family will talk to

the coffin. In fact, it is not only talking to the coffin, it is talking

to the person inside the coffin because the belief is that although

he is regarded as dead, but he is not surely dead. This period he is

still alive. We shall watch out for that and you can point out it to us.

Now, are there is solemn funeral music being played. Let's listen to

this and rejoin George Alagiah up on the hill. Let's hear a bit of this

music first. It is interesting looking at the

pictures of the military following this coffin. It is a potent picture

of how much things have changed. At one time the military was an

instrument of oppression, now we have white officers following Nelson

Mandela's coffin. As we watch these pictures, around the country there

are people in South Africa watching it unfolding on screens. Here in

Qunu on the Eastern Cape, there are screens overlooking the Nelson

Mandela's family compound. Not far from here in a place where Nelson

Mandela was born there is one there as well. In this whole ceremony

there has been a compromise between the government's desire to control

events and of course the people's desire to have access to their

former president. Of course Nelson Mandela famously was very

accessible. He used to often break away from his entourage and start

talking to the crowds, much to the irritation of his bodyguards. For

the most part today, as we look at the coffin going up the hill, people

are watching on screens. David. We are approaching the most solemn

moment of this as the coffin goes into the marquee where it will be

placed for the service. This service, what do you expect it to be

like? In the service, although it might be more of a Christian service

because he lived in modern times, I expect the traditional people to be

given an opportunity either as speakers, or you have your

traditional doctors also burning the incense who may be given the

opportunity. I also expect to see singers there. There might be others

that might come up from time to time. Very singers extolling

achievements of his life. If you were a praise singer, what would you

choose to sing about? There are so many things, but how he came out of

prison with the same values and commitment. All sorts of things

happened journalling that period before but he rejected it always.

After his release prison he said this is a country for all South

Africans. I have a granddaughter named Natasha, she is six, six

months ago when Mandela's health was deteriorating she brought up the

name Mandela and we said, "What about him?" She said he is a person

that everybody wants to make sure he doesn't die and we said why? She

said because he saved us from the shooters. Civil war, bloodshed, like

in Syria, that's a young girl six saying that.

Do you think many people are fearful in that way? Early 90s definitely

and he calmed the country down and gave confidence for the future of

the country. The band marches off and inside the

marquee there is an orchestra and a full choir so there will be more

music to follow, but the band has done its part the moment.

The Navy marching down the hill, the medical corps behind them. Huge

numbers of medical troops on parade here. A very good impression of what

Qunu is like, those houses scattered on the hillside nearby Mandela's own

house. The fact that Nelson Mandela had his home here has meant

improvements for these people with water and electricity, looking after

his own community, as of course would be expected by them. He used

to go and chat to people. People came to his door here with none of

the formality that would happen at his presidential office. The

villagers would come and have a chat and he liked that. He was very

informal at heart, and very much a countryman that hard. He wrote about

country life, his early childhood, saying in the fields he learned how

to knock birds out of the sky with slingshots and gather honey, and

drink milk straight from the borders of Karl, water straight from streams

and catch fish. He talked about it with nostalgia for the innocence of

childhood long before he got involved in the struggle of

apartheid when he was just a child, part of the Thembu clan. His father

was in the dispute and he later went to live with his uncle, but always

in Qunu, focused on this life, until he set off in Johannesburg in order

to avoid an arranged marriage. That was part of a new life, where he

became a lawyer, set up a legal company and went into the ANC. Let's

hear from inside the tent. Leaders of the South African National

defence Force, which has been playing a critical role throughout

the week in preparing for this day. As you see on the screen, the coffin

is about to enter the venue. This is the national chair of the ANC, one

of the organisers of this event. As the coffin comes to join us, we

will ask the choir to sing just in a minute.

The coffin is followed in by the Chief of defence staff. They have

seen to be so close in this past ten days, the widow and the former wife

of Nelson Mandela. The him, Fulfil And Realise Your Promise in the

English translation. -- hymn. Thank you very much. May you be

seated. The close family take their seats beside the coffin. Mandla

Mandela, his grandson. I want to make a couple of comments, before

the last opportunity to satisfy the formalities of the agreed programme

of this fully fledged state funeral. This morning we cast our

eye collectively back on an unprecedented week of outpouring of

rivers of two years and emotion about the sum of this humble

community. -- son. These young man who grew into the mighty leader who

was to lead together with his generation of ANC leaders our

country out of bondage into the free South Africa we enjoy today. He

leaves us with a new constitution, a set of laws, institutions,

policies, and developing human rights ethos, culture of

transparency, mutual respect, and democracy. Our leader lies here

today. I would like the combined choirs to lead us in the National

Anthem. The National Anthem which is sung in five different languages.

Three African languages, then in African, God Bless Africa.

Please be seated. A senior member of the Mandela family. The Methodist

Church was the spiritual home of our late leader, comrade, Nelson

Mandela. We sing together the hymn the

favourite him of his mother. It is hymn 14. -- hymn of his mother.

The General Secretary of the Methodist Church of South Africa.

Shall we be seated? Let us pray. Eternal God in your infinite love

for women and men, you incarnated yourself in Christ and revealed your

nature to us in your infinite love for poor and wealthy, you laid aside

your glory and walked amongst us as one of us. In your infinite love for

every race and tribe and nation, you brought a new world into being and

taught us to live as citizens of God's reign. But you have not

stopped incoronating yourself -- incarnating yourself. You still

reveal yourself and your reign and to all who opened their hearts and

lives to you. We praise and thank you God for the people through whom

you revealed yourself still, for those to give themselves to build a

world based on the values of your reign of justice and reconciliation.

Today we celebrate the incarnation that was Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

who gave his life for the sake of justice and freedom, who lived the

healing practises of forgiveness, compassion and integrity. We praise

and thank you God. His example of justice, peace and reconciliation

and his courage to endure suffering, rejection, and persecution for the

sake of others. We offer this prayer in the name of Our Lord and Saviour,

Jesus Christ, Amen. We listen to God as he speaks to us, the Gospel

according to Matthew from Verse 14 to Verse 13. It is a para bell of

the talents. Again, it would be like a p man going on a journey who

entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money,

to another two talents and to another, one talent. Even according

to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received

the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained

five more. So also the one with two talents gained two more, but the one

who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and

hid his master's money. After a long time, the master of those servants

returned and settled accounts with them. The man who received five

talents brought the five and said, "Master, you entrusted me with five

talents. See I have gained five more." His master replied, "Well

done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few

things, I will put you in charge of many things. A share your master's

happiness. The man with the two talents came and said, "Master, you

entrusted me with two talents. See, I have gained two more. His master

replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have opinion

faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things.

Come and share your master's happiness." Then the man who had

received the one talent. Master, he said, I knew that you are a hard

man. You have not scathered seed -- scattered seed so I went out and hid

your talent in the ground. You see, here is what belongs to you. His

master replied, "You wicked, lazy servant. So you knew that I have not

sown. And not scattered seed. Well then, you should have put my money

on the deposit with the bankers so when I returned I received it back

with interest. Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has

the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more and he will

have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken

from him and throw that worthless servant outside into the darkness

where there will be weeping. This is the word of God and thanks be to

God. Amen. No effort has been spared in trying to ensure that this

funeral service reflects as much of what Nelson Mandela was and what he

associated himself with, what he loved and what he would have liked

to see this morning. As you know, already we have sung two songs that

were sung at the birth of his organisation, the African National

Congress. We have sung the National Anthem. Can you tell us what she is

saying? She says the minister from the Methodist Church has opened the

church already and there is a tape that is going to be played now. A

tape that is from children. Especially in his last days when he

could spend more time with them. We can see the children in the front

row there. The whole family has come together for this funeral and it is

said today that they have been re-United's and it has -- reunited

and it has been helped by the relationship between Winnie and

Graca Machel who have tried to heal the divisions. There have been a lot

of rumblings and discontent within the family which has been well

reported, but for this event today, it seems that has been put to one

side in honour of the memory of their father, grandfather and

great-grandfather. The coffin of Nelson Mandela there

is surrounded by cow skins. This is a traditional leader's. He has a

leopard skin, I think, also on top of the coffin. Yes. A lion skin for

the king and a leopard skin for the... The chief. That's what we

expected to see there. However, the cow skins there also represent a

traditional people of Qunu. So it is there... This is their man in the

coffin? That's right. Let's give the children a round of

applause. The deputy president of the ANC now plays his part in

chairing these events. The candles represent the years of Madiba's

life. This is an honour to him to remember the years he was on earth

and more especially the contribution that he made to our country. We are

meant to be laying him to rest at 12 midday in terms of the traditions

and practices in this part of our country in Qunu. A person of his

stature is meant to be laid to rest when the sun is at its highest, when

the shadow is at its shortest. We will try to be out of here by the

latest at 10:30am so those proceeding to the burial site can do

so. Over the last nine days, and this is the 10th day, many have been

engaged with memories of Madiba, what he has meant to us, the

country, and the world. There has been outpouring of love and

affection to Madiba. There has been celebration and mourning, but many

have had time to reflect. Many people have been remembering their

own Madiba moments, the times that they either met him, The Times they

encountered him either visually or in other ways, The Times they got to

think about him. So each one of us and millions of people around the

world have had their own Madiba moment. Today we have come to lay

him to rest and we laid to rest what President Zuma described as South

Africa's greatest son. I think everyone will agree that today the

person who lives here in South Africa's greatest son. We would like

to welcome all of you here and all of those people watching the

proceedings for being part of this process, and indeed for being part

of Madiba's life. Among everyone paying homage to him is his family,

and the deputy president of the Republic of South Africa, the former

president of the Republic of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki and his wife,

and the former deputy president who is also here. We also acknowledge

the presence of Cabinet ministers who are here, members of the

National executive committee of the ruling party, the African National

Congress, the traditional leaders who are also here, religious

leaders, also here, the Chief Justice and members of the

judiciary, the speaker of parliament, and the chairperson of

the Council of National provinces, heads of security forces in our

country, the leader of the opposition and other members of

opposition parties, the members of the Congress of South African trade

Unions, as well as veterans of our struggle who are here, leaders of

the trade union movement, the leader of the SACP and leaders of

business. We also have people who have travelled from various parts of

the world who have come to lay Madiba to rest. We have got his

Majesty the King of listening to, the president of Malawi, his

Excellency the Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, his Excellency

Prime Minister Denzil Douglas, we have his Royal Highness Prince

Albert of Monaco, we have got his Royal Highness Prince Charles of the

United Kingdom, and we have got also former heads of government and state

you are here, his Excellency former vice president of Nigeria, we have

got former prime ministers of France Lionel Jospin, Jens Stoltenberg from

Norway, Morgan Tsvangirai, his Excellency Doctor Guy Scott, and

heads of other international organisations who I will name in a

little while. We would now like to move on with our programme and ask a

representative of the family to come up to the stage and address us as

the choir sings. Chief Matanzima is here speaking on behalf of the

family, actually a cousin of Nelson Mandela.

The chief is wearing a leopard skin, a signal of his rank.

Can you translate what he says? He says today they are speaking over

the body of Madiba, and after he has been put in the grave, they are

going to salute him for the last time. Delibunga, that is the name of

the leader of the council. Is that when he was coming-of-age, when he

was circumcised? That's right. Mentioning the life of his

ancestors. Those are all of the names of their forefathers. He is a

praising him now as a strongman. He is a Thembu? Yes. He is the third

house. Then he shows how the ancestors follow one another. So he

is placing Mandela within the tribal system, very much within the family.

That's right. Mandela's function was to bring unity between the first and

the second houses, as he was from the third house. This is within the

Thembu tribe? That's right. There were three houses, and Mandela

reunited them, he is saying? That's right. The third house would

basically the in between the first two. In other words, it accords with

his tradition of bringing people together in South Africa, and it

applied also within his tribe. That's right, in fact his life

symbolises what he has done. He is encouraging people to take

from Mandela, to unite this country. Is he going to speak in English as

well, do you think? I am not sure. A glimpse of President Zuma and before

that, Graca Machel, in the flamboyant black hat listening to

this. He is telling the people about the negative part at the memorial

service and there was that interpreter, the bogus interpreter.

He complaining about that. What is he saying? That should never happen

again because it spoils what Mandela has done all these years. He is

saying that embarrassed as the people, among people from other

places. He is praying that there should be

positive change to the people here because of Mandela's spirit.

He is also warning people that on the last day, the people will have

to stand before God and it is only their justice that will help them.

He is now expressing the awareness of gratitude to the people. Bantu

meaning? To the people. Now he is asking all those who have been

looking after Mandela's health to stand up. It is so they can be seen

by the people. All the medical people? Yes. Nelson Mandela was

looked after by doctors in Johannesburg and here in Pretoria

and at his bed side for the month that he was there before he died. A

nice tribute to the doctors. He is thanking them now for looking after

Mandela's health during his last days.

He is now thanking the family members who are staying with

Mandela. Also thanking the African National

Congress. For having taken care of him until he passed away. Both men

and women. APPLAUSE

He is thanking the President of South Africa now. For this service.

He is thanking the Government for all their efforts until now.

APPLAUSE He is thanking the family from where

the first wife came. APPLAUSE

He is now thanking the He is now thanking the family from

where Winnie comes from. And for what the role Winnie played during

his presence within the Mandela family.

He is thanking the family for Machel family and for her role during the

last days of Nelson Mandela. He is now thanking the ministers of

religion. What's he saying about him? What's he saying about the

ministers? He is thanking them for agreeing to be used by God to play

part in this service. He now saying that Madiba has fulfilled his role.

To the family and who the whole nation of that South Africa and

because of that, the family members are proud of him. He has put them in

the spotlight among nations. He now says he must rest in peace until

they meet in the here after. That was Chief Ngangomhlaba Matanzima

speaking. He will be followed by Ahmed Kathrada. He was in jail for

26 years and was very close to Nelson Mandela. First, we have a

list of more dignitaries being welcomed. It is a polite tradition

which we saw happen also when we watched the great meeting in the

stadium in Soweto on Tuesday. It is a very grand gathering, isn't it, of

supporters of the ANC and people from all over the world who admire

Nelson Mandela? I believe according to reports that it is the largest

gathering of heads of State, Prime Ministers, as well as religious

leaders and they came at very short notice. What was it about Mandela

that brought all those people here, we are hearing about Equador. Why

would they feel it is important for them to be here? In their countries,

their presence here will be reported? With a large number of

them, Mr Mandela had had relations with them. Also they had also

acknowledged him from the first time he became president or even before

that in many cases. Those countries had help the African National

Congress so it is a combination of all of that, but also countries that

weren't friends of the liberation struggle, but had respected for him

what he did and the fact he helped to create the South Africa of today.

You saw the way he drew people in from all different walks of life,

didn't you? In your world of cricket, of course, but elsewhere? A

unique phenomenon. His capacity to forgive and forgive his oppressors,

not to forget, extraordinary. I think his capacity to communicate

with kings, heads of State, the ordinary man in the street, the

catering staff at the cricket stadium. It gave people a wonderful

feeling of the future of this country. Gerry Adams from Sinn Fein

mentioned there. He was at the ceremony yesterday. Oprah Winfrey.

Let's hear these names. And we will continue acknowledging other people

who are also present here. So Oprah Winfrey there. She is rather

surprised at her mention. She worked with Nelson Mandela setting-up a

children's school here in South Africa. So now it is the turn of

Ahmed Kathrada. Who lived with him for a number of years both in prison

and before they went to prison. Ahmed Kathrada was in jail with

Madiba on Robben Island and he says the person who plays him in the

Mandela movie says that Ahmed Kathrada as he is walking up the

stage served 26 years of a life sentence and Madiba served 27 years

and he says he got a discount of one year so here is a man who got a

discount on a 20 year long prison sentence. He is going to tell us

about Madiba and Madiba's life. Comrade Ahmed Kathrada, please come

and address us. APPLAUSE

Funeral director, Mrs Graca Machel, Mrs Winnie Mandela, the entire

Mandela family, President Zuma, honourable dignitaries, former

president, tab u-Mbeki. Ladies and gentlemen, the last time I saw

Madiba alive, he was in -- it is when I visited him in hospital. I

was filled an overwhelming mixture of sadness, emotion and pride. He

tightly held my hand. It was profoundly heartbreaking and he

brought all emotions in me and my mind automatically flashed back to

the picture of the man with whom I grew up. How I wished I had never

had to confront what I saw. I first met him 67 years ago and I recall

the tall, healthy, strong man, the boxer, the prisoner who easily

wielded the pick and shovel when we couldn't do so. The prisoner who

vigorously exercised every morning before we were unlocked. What I saw

in hospital was a man helpless and reduced to a shadow of himself. And

now the inevitable has happened. He has left us to join the ANC in which

he cut his political teeth, with his nonracial and nonsexist policy he

practised his whole life. He has joined the 18th of Jack Symons,

Helens Joseph, Professor Matthews, and others. He also joined leaders

and members of other organisations outside the ANC. We are a country

that has been blessed by many remarkable men and women, all of

whom have played a critical role in the liberation of our country. We

have been blessed by the contribution of the many different

movements armed formations both inside and outside the country, who

stood by us in the dark days of apartheid. We have been blessed by a

struggle that actively involved the mass of people in our country. We

have also been blessed by the ANC that under its leadership,

proclaiming proudly that South Africa belonged by all of those who

live in it, black and white. We are deeply grateful to Madiba, that

today we live in a lively democracy. We are deeply grateful

that dignity has been restored to all South Africans. We are deeply

grateful that the lives of tenths -- tens of thousands of people continue

improving, we are deeply grateful for a constitution that encompasses

everything that is good in us, and a constitution that protects our

freedom. We are deeply grateful to the institutions that jealously

guard our constitution of democracy. Finally we are grateful to each and

everyone of us who can proudly call ourselves South African. We

nevertheless know that we have a long road ahead. There is poverty,

hunger, disease, education, many things that are still challenges set

before us. Finally, I wish to address myself to Madiba, and I

don't consider him to be my friend, who was my elder brother. What do we

say to you in these days? The last final moments together before you

exit the public stage. Your abundant reserves of love, simplicity,

honesty, service, humility, care, courage, foresight, , tolerance,

equality and justice continually served as a source of enormous

strength for millions of people in South Africa and the world. You

symbolise today, and always will, qualities of a collective

leadership, reconciliation, unity, forgiveness, nation-building, and

nonracial nonsexist South Africa. In this spirit, you exemplify your life

and it is up to the present generation and generations to come

to continue this. It is up to them to face the challenges South Africa

faces today, which I will not name. In all of these challenges, we will

be guided continuously by your wisdom and by your actions. Today,

mingled with our grief, is the enormous pride that one of our own

house, during his lifetime, and now in your death, united the people of

South Africa and an entire world on a scale never before experienced in

history. Remarkably in these last few days, the messages from people

from all walks of life have demonstrated how the story of your

life is their story, and their story is yours. You have captured this

relationship beautifully on the occasion of the death of our Father.

We share the joy of the living and the pain. Together we shared ideas,

forged common commitments. We walk side-by-side through the valley of

death, nursing each other's bruises, holding each other up. Together we

savoured the taste of freedom. Two Mrs Graca Machel, members of the

Mandela family, we wish there was a way we could use your grief and

pain. The last few months have been particularly hard we trust that you

will be able to find the piece you so much deserve. We mourn with you

and wish you strength at this time of need. Madiba, we may be drowned

in sorrow and grief but we are mostly proud and grateful that after

the long walk paved with obstacles and suffering, we can salute you as

a fighter for freedom in the end. Farewell, my dear brother, my

mentor, my leader. When Walter died, I lost a father, and now I have lost

a brother. My life is in a void and I don't know who to turn to. Thank

you very much. Very moving tribute by one of the most admired members

of the ANC who spent over 26 years in Robben Island in jail alongside

Nelson Mandela, whom he called his older brother, and referring to

Walter Sisulu. We will now call upon the choir to lead us in the hymn,

Jerusalem. This is not the Jerusalem hymn that the people in Britain will

no. " You bring happiness to my heart. If I marry you, I will be the

happiest man... " We ask that the choir will sing when

the obituary is being read. It is with deep sadness that the

government and the world has learned of the passing of the father of

South Africa's democracy. Nelson Mandela passed on peacefully in the

company of his family on the 5th of December 2013. The man who became

one of the world's greatest icons was born in July 1918. His father

was a key consular adviser to the Thembu royal house. After his

father's death in 1927, it was at the Thembu Royal homestead that his

personality and political views were shaped. There can be no doubt the

young man went on to bring about some of the most remarkable changes

in history and politics. I should just explain this is one of Nelson

Mandela's grandsons the sum of evil in. The story of South Africa. When

he was... -- son of Evelyn. The young Nelson Mandela qualified and

practised as a lawyer, opening the first black legal practice in

Johannesburg. In 1945, he was married for 14 years. The couple

divorced in 1958. That was instrumental in the formation of the

radical ANC youth league in the 1940s which was determined to change

the face of politics. He became president in 1952. He became deeply

involved in activism, rallying for political change. He was a key

player in the ANC's Campaign for the Defiance of Unjust Laws in 1952 and

the Treason Trial in 1961. During this time he was incarcerated

several times under the apartheid laws and banned from political

activity. Realising that the ANC needed to prepare for more intensive

struggle, he became an instrumental force behind the formation of a new

section of the liberation movement, Umkhonto we Sizwe, as an armed

nucleus with a view to preparing for armed struggle. Mandela was

commander-in-chief of MK. On 14 June 1958 Mandela and Winnie Madikizela

were married at a local Bizana church. They had two children,

Zenani (1958) and Zindziswa (1960). In April 1992 they were separated

and finally divorced in 1996. He left the country in 1962 and

travelled abroad to arrange guerrilla training for members of

MK. On his return to South Africa he was arrested for illegal exiting the

country and incitement to strike. Mandela decided to represent himself

in court. While on trial, Mandela was charged with sabotage in the

Rivonia Trial. This is his famous statement from the dock made in

1964: "I have fought against white domination, and I have fought

against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic

and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and

with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and

to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to

die." In the same year Mandela and the other accused were sentenced to

life imprisonment in the Rivonia Trial and sent to Robben Island,

near Cape Town. While in prison, Mandela rejected offers made by his

jailers to be released on condition that he renounced violence.

"Prisoners cannot enter into contracts. Only free men can

negotiate," he said. He served a total of 27 years in prison for his

conviction to fight apartheid and its injustices. Released on 11

February 1990, Mandela plunged wholeheartedly into his life's work,

striving to attain the goals he and others had set out almost four

decades earlier. In 1991, at the first national conference of the ANC

held inside South Africa after being banned for decades, Mandela was

elected President of the ANC while his lifelong friend and colleague,

Oliver Tambo, became the organisation's National Chairperson.

In a life that symbolises the triumph of the human spirit, Mandela

accepted the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize (along with FW de Klerk) on behalf

of all South Africans who suffered and sacrificed so much to bring

peace to our land. The era of apartheid formally came to an end on

the April 27, 1994, when Mandela voted for the first time in his life

- along with his people. However, long before that date it had become

clear, even before the start of negotiations at the World Trade

Centre in Kempton Park, that the ANC was increasingly charting the future

of South Africa. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was inaugurated as President

of a democratic South Africa on 10 May 1994. This world icon worked

tirelessly even after the achievement of democracy in South

Africa to continue improving lives. Even as he retired from politics,

his attention shifted to social issues such as HIV and AIDS and the

wellbeing of the nation's children. As a testimony to his sharp

political intellect, wisdom and unrelenting commitment to make the

world a better place, Mandela formed the prestigious group called The

Elders - an independent group of eminent global leaders, who offer

their collective influence and experience to support peace

building, help address major causes of human suffering and promote the

shared interests of humanity. Mandela is survived by his wife

Graca, three daughters and 18 grandchildren.

CHOIR: # God be with you till we meet

again. # We now call upon Nandi Mandela to

pay a tribute representing the children and grandchildren of

Madiba. DAVID DIMBLEBY: Nandi is the

granddaughter of Nelson Mandela. The honourable President, Jacob Zuma,

the Royalty present here today, heads of state and diplomatic corps,

religious leaders, distinguished guests, Programme Director, ladies

and gentlemen. I stand here today and I'm humbled to be the one to be

presenting all of Madiba's children, grandchildren and

great-grandchildren. Africans and people around the world, we are

proud of his achievements and we want to make him proud. He was a

true leader who led by example. He was a true servant of the people.

His mission in life was to make the lives of the underprivileged better.

Like everyone who has been touched by him, we have learned some

valuable lessons from him and I would like to share some of those

lessons. He truly cared for his family and children. He shared what

we had as best as possible with all those that he loved. He provided for

his family. He took it upon himself to make sure that all of them had a

good education. For many years in Qunu, during his presidency, and

after he stepped down, he made sure that the children of Qunu had a

beautiful Christmas. They came in thousands to his home and he made

sure each one of those children received a gift and a meal. And the

numbers grew and it became almost impossible for him to cater from his

own pocket. Businesses around the Eastern Cape contributed food and

gifts. His Eoin Jess Church of kindness made all those around him

-- his own gesture of kindness made all those around him want to do

good. He commanded respect. The country was on a knife-edge and

could have easily slid into a civil war. He pleaded with the country,

black and white, to remain calm and the people listened because they

respected him. He was truly humble and remained accountable throughout

his life. This made it possible for him to make other people

accountable. During his presidency, he was taken to court. There was no

need for him to do this, or subject himself to this. But he was prepared

to be subjected to the rule of law. This provided us with two lessons -

a lesson in humility and a lesson in accountability. People always talk

about his achievement and his serious side Tatamkhulu. Was a lot

of fun to be around. During the past year, we truly miss hearing his

voice. At dinner, he liked telling stories about his childhood and he

preferred the one where he would poke fun at himself. One of his

favourite stories was of him chasing a piece of chicken with a fork at a

dinner table with a family of a girl that he wanted as his girlfriend. He

would say - and we have heard this story many times - "Jee whizz, man,

every time I stabbed the chicken it jumped and I was sweating and

embarrassed because I wanted to impress this young girl." He laughed

Hartley as he reminisced about his youthful days. Another side of

Tatamkhulu that most people don't know about is his mischief. One

story comes to mind. We were sitting at a table waiting for lunch to be

served. In came a young lady. With a mischievous smile and a twinkle in

his eyes, he asked, "So, young lady, what do you think of my grandson?"

LAUGHTER "Don't you think he is handsome?" She replied, "No, papa, I

think he is too young for me!" He retorted, "In the African tradition,

a man can never be seen as younger than a woman!" He was also a very

strict grandfather. He made my younger cousins pick up clothes

after they had finished preparing for school, or for bed. He was a

disciplinarian who reprayered us to be better people in our -- prepared

us to be better people in our lives, with or without him. Tatamkhulu

cared for the less privilege. He set up the Children's Foundation so that

his legacy of caring for the future of our country can continue. He

encouraged captains of industry to build schools and clinics throughout

rural areas of South Africa. He recognised, he embraced, he

celebrated humanity in every single person that he encountered. At a

formal dinner hosted by businesses, he stunned his hosts when he

requested to greet the staff who prepared the food for the banquet.

Everything had to stop. He was escorted to the kitchen and he shook

the hands of all staff members. That is the humility of the man that we

see lying in front of us. One of the greatest lessons is a

story of his own life. A story of resilience. Besides his political

career, which does not need to be retold, here lies a world-renowned

leader, a son of Africa who grew up from these rolling hills. He went to

school in bare feet and he rose to the highest office of the land. He

became the President of South Africa and the greatest statesman in the

world. This is a message communicated all the time. It does

not matter what a background is, or your circumstances, it is within

each of us to achieve anything we want in life.

These are just some of the many stories we have learnt from him. As

a head of our family and as a leader. We shall miss you,

Tatamkhulu. We shall miss your voice when you were not pleased with our

behaviour. We shall miss your voice as you told us stories of your

childhood. We shall miss your laughter. We will carry lessons you

taught us throughout our lives as we make you proud. As South Africans,

we must stop pointing fingers, but rather we must lead by example, as

you did, and do something positive for South Africa.

Your love for children was immeasurable. We love you,

Tatamkhulu. She is rementioning the clan praise

names. The clan praise names? Yes. Thank you. A very affectionate

tribute to her grandfather by Nandi Mandela. She is thanking the girl.

Hoping that Mandela is also happy to see his granddaughter talking to