Nelson Mandela is finally in his village
16 Dec 2013 4:08 AM IST
Nelson Mandela's remains were on Saturday flown to his childhood village of Qunu for burial on Sunday, bringing down the curtain on ten days of national mourning and global tributes for the anti-apartheid icon.
An air force plane carrying Mandela's casket took off from here after up to 100,000 people filed past his body during the three days it lay in state at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
The same venue had witnessed his inauguration as South Africa's first black President in 1994.
Thousands had packed a stadium in Soweto for a memorial service for Mandela on Tuesday, an event which saw many world leaders, including President Pranab Mukherjee and US President Barack Obama, coming together to pay homage to the elder statesman. Mandela died on 5 December at the age of 95 after a protracted illness.
Members of Mandela's family accompanied his remains to Qunu, the village where he had wanted to spend his final days. He will be buried on Sunday in a state funeral incorporating burial rites of his Xhosa tribe. The Hercules C-130 transport aircraft, escorted by two Gripen fighter jets, took off from Waterkloof airbase after a farewell ceremony organised by the African National Congress.
An air force plane carrying Mandela's casket took off from here after up to 100,000 people filed past his body during the three days it lay in state at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
The same venue had witnessed his inauguration as South Africa's first black President in 1994.
Thousands had packed a stadium in Soweto for a memorial service for Mandela on Tuesday, an event which saw many world leaders, including President Pranab Mukherjee and US President Barack Obama, coming together to pay homage to the elder statesman. Mandela died on 5 December at the age of 95 after a protracted illness.
Members of Mandela's family accompanied his remains to Qunu, the village where he had wanted to spend his final days. He will be buried on Sunday in a state funeral incorporating burial rites of his Xhosa tribe. The Hercules C-130 transport aircraft, escorted by two Gripen fighter jets, took off from Waterkloof airbase after a farewell ceremony organised by the African National Congress.
Next Story
