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South Africans honour “giant of history”, Madiba

The life of the Father of the Nation was remembered by a crowd including almost 100 dignitaries in Johannesburg today.

Updated at 11.10pm

ONLY A LEADER like Nelson Mandela could compel almost one hundred dignitaries of differing beliefs and opposing viewpoints to sit together in the name of peace.

“He was not,” said US President Barack Obama, as he spoke of the freedom fighter at today’s memorial in FNB Stadium, “a bust made of marble. He was a man made of flesh and blood”.

Mandela, who died at the age of 95 last Thursday night, resisted his image being painted as a ‘lifeless portrait”, said Obama.

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AP Photo/Ben Curtis

Mandela was mortal; he was not a perfect man. But he was close to perfect in the eyes of millions.

The ending of apartheid, after a long and violent struggle, did not mean that South Africa became perfect, but it meant that a heavy, unequivocal blow was dealt against the terrible force of racism.

Its end meant freedom. It meant hope.

Just as Madiba was not perfect, so too was his memorial imperfect, if people were expecting a toned-down event. It was riotous, irreverent at times, pulsing with energy. There were appeals for the crowd to tone down their singing, rambunctious bands were asked to put down their instruments, and the country’s own president Jacob Zuma had his speech initially marred by boos.

Arrivals

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The contrasts were no more evident than in the footage of the ceremony. Into the grey belly of the FNB Stadium the dignitaries from throughout Africa and beyond arrived this morning, along with a scattering of celebrities - Bono, Charlize Theron - all sombre in their dark clothing.

Above them in the almost full 95,000-seater stadium, the crowds smiled, sang, danced, and cried, clutching images of their hero. Colourfully celebrating the life of Nelson Mandela - their Madiba, their Tata - in full spirit.

Some would describe it as a show of pathetic fallacy that the rain fell slowly on the gathered crowds.

But others saw a more spiritual reason for the opened heavens.

"When it rains when you are buried, it means that your gods are welcoming you and the gates of heaven are most probably open as well," Cyril Ramaphosa, ANC deputy president, told the crowd as he opened the ceremony.

Of course, the rain may as well not have been there. Under umbrellas, and ANC flags fashioned into headscarves, people cheered.

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Pic: Gavin Barker /Sports Inc/Press Association Images

The memorial

As he welcomed those present, Ramaphosa spoke of the hope for a 'dignified and fitting' service for Madiba, a man who "worked to free us all", whose life "transcended the faultlines of our own humanity".

Mandela took under his care the millions of South Africans who were oppressed under apartheid, moving from peaceful means to a more violent movement as the grip of oppression grew tighter. Eventually, he was jailed for sabotage.

In court, on the cusp of being jailed, his message was clear and uncompromising.

Said Ramphosa:

He worked to free us all and in a way, black and white, to embark on a journey to reconcile with each other to forgive our past transgressions to bury hatred, embrace human rights, non-racialism, non-sexism, and begin the task and arduous odyssey to become a nation of diverse cultures, diverse religions and different races.

image

Pic: AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen

Family and friends paid their tributes first, including Robben Island cellmate and Rivonia Trialist Andrew Mlangeni, who said there was "no doubt" that Mandela was smiling while his countrymen met in his memory.

Family members spoke of sharing Mandela with South Africa and the rest of the world, calling for people to help keep Madiba's dream alive

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon acknowledged the "mighty loss and celebration of a mighty life". Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma of the AU Commission Chair said that now is the time to build on what Mandela achieved.

The similarities between Mandela and Mahatma Ghandi were explored by India's President Pranab Mukherjee, who said his country stands with South Africa.

A handshake between Cuba's Raúl Castro and Obama was a small but significant example of how Mandela brought about peaceful moments after his death.

President Jacob Zuma described Mandela as a "courageous leader", and a "fearless freedom fighter". "There is no one like Madiba," he told the crowd.

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Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, left, Nelson Mandela's former wife. Pic: AP Photo/Matt Dunham

Barack Obama, who received a rapturous welcome, spoke of Mandela's influence on his own life. "He makes me want to be a better person," he said.

For him, Mandela was imperfect, shrewd, proud, rebellious. He held an anger inside that was "borne of a thousand slights" an anger felt by people whose race marked them out as other. His death is a time for self-reflection, said Obama: "We must ask how well have I applied his lessons in my own life".

The absence of the Dalai Lama, who had previously met Mandela but was unable to obtain a visa, was notable.

Mandela's long walk to freedom led him gently to this stadium, to an overwhelming event that belied his humble beliefs.

As a memorial, it was somehow fitting in its rambunctious imperfectness. As a symbol of the continued fight for equality, it was powerful.

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Watch the remainder of the ceremony live here.

First posted at 1.40pm.

Read: More than 80,000 to attend memorial service for Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg>

PHOTO: Barack Obama shakes hands with Cuban president Raul Castro>

LIVE: The Rainbow Nation says goodbye to its founding father>

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23 Comments
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    Mute in_zane_burger
    Favourite in_zane_burger
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    Apr 2nd 2014, 3:06 PM

    Can I have my money back now

    32
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    Mute padser123
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    Apr 2nd 2014, 3:33 PM

    It’s like’…..burning your furniture – to keep warm!

    23
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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Apr 2nd 2014, 4:52 PM

    Why are PwC saying this instead of IBRC and NAMA?

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    Mute Philip
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    Apr 2nd 2014, 5:20 PM

    As property prices start to rise nama , ibrc start to dump property

    Can someone explain why?

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    Mute Dara O'Brien
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    Apr 2nd 2014, 5:56 PM

    Dumping loans philip, not property. They’re Dumping the loans as they’re non-performing and want to get them off the balance sheet.

    If they had the patience, they’d put arrangements in place to allow the properties to return to positive equity and then seek a sale, this recouping more of the tax payers money.

    Unfortunately, they’ll sell the loans for a discount and allow the new purchasers to do this and net a tidy profit.

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    Mute Garry Coll
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    Apr 2nd 2014, 5:02 PM

    The article outlines that IBRC (IBROKE would probably be a better name) will offload € 15 billion in loans.
    Yet the linked article tells us that IBROKE have already offloaded 90% of its loanbook, € 19.8 billion out of € 21.7 billion leaving just € 1.9 billion on hand.
    This can only mean, if the previous article is correct, that it is NAMA that is offloading the majority of the loans.
    Why the subterfuge?
    Why make people think that this is some kind of joint enterprise when it is NAMA that is leading the charge?
    Have the shiny suit brigade from the canal something to hide?
    Given their obsession with secrecy it would not surprise me if they have, perhaps selling the loans to some preferred customer with an inside track at a serious discount.
    The way things go it will all be wrapped up before we know anything, plus ça change.

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    Mute Irish Revolution
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    Apr 2nd 2014, 2:58 PM

    Who in their right mind would buy this junk?

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    Mute Padraig McHale
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    Apr 2nd 2014, 3:01 PM

    It might only be worth 30% of face value but if you buy it for 20% it’s a good deal. For the buyer anyway.

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    Mute Tony
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    Apr 2nd 2014, 3:06 PM

    @ Irish Revolution

    The Banks?

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    Mute Deirdre McDonnell
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    Apr 3rd 2014, 2:42 AM

    Hedge funds bought it. They will now sell off all the ghost estates etc at a lower price so people that have houses for sale at the min will eventually have to sell for half or take them off the market.
    Fab house here in drogheda asking price €325. Hilarious. You could now nearly get a house for that on raglan road or ailsbury road!! So that house is realistically worth less than €150 really.
    People and notions ha

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    Mute Vanessa Doyle
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    Apr 2nd 2014, 7:04 PM

    What about Bank of Scotland selling on my mortgage & others in their Irish portfolio to a company called Tanager Ltd.
    I’m in a tizzy all day because I don’t know what it means for us.

    3
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