At 20:50 on 5 December 2013 South Africa wept at the passing of Nelson Mandela, the first President of South Africa elected in a fully representative democratic election, died at the age of 95 after suffering from a prolonged respiratory infection.
Nelson Mandela was finally laid to rest in Qunu on 15 December 2013 after a state funeral attended by 4 500 people and televised live except for the internment which was attended by 450 people.
Mandela continues to have influence in our daily lives and is missed.
CLICK HERE for 23 pages of Nelson Mandela Quotes – #WDMS.
Some reactions from the time:
Jacob Zuma: “Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost a father. Although we knew that this day would come, nothing can reduce the sense of our profound loss.”
F. W. de Klerk: “He was a great unifier and a very, very special man in this regard beyond everything else he did. This emphasis on reconciliation was his biggest legacy.”
Helen Zille: “We all belong to the South African family—and we owe that sense of belonging to Madiba. That is his legacy.”
Kgalema Motlanthe: “The world over, his name has evolved into a metaphor. The name Nelson Mandela has entered the pantheon of history’s sages.”
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu: “He transcended race and class in his personal actions, through his warmth and through his willingness to listen and to empathize with others, …and he restored others’ faith in Africa and Africans.”
Epainette Mbeki: “He’s not dead, he’s asleep.” She said South Africans should celebrate his life.
George Bizos: “He will go down in history forever as the one person who set an example that fundamental differences between people can be solved without violence.”
Pope Francis: “It was with sadness that I learned of the death of former President Nelson Mandela, and I send prayerful condolences to all the Mandela family, to the members of the government, and to all the people of South Africa, in commending the soul of the deceased to the mercy of Almighty God, I ask the Lord to console and strengthen all who mourn his loss, paying tribute to the steadfast commitment shown by Nelson Mandela in promoting the human dignity of all the nation’s citizens and in forging a new South Africa built on the firm foundations of non-violence, reconciliation and truth, I pray that the late President’s example will inspire generations of South Africans to put justice and common good at the forefront of their political aspirations. With these sentiments, I invoke upon all the people of South Africa divine gifts of peace and prosperity.”
Barack Obama: “I am one of the countless millions who drew inspiration from Nelson Mandela’s life, I would study his words, his writings. The day he was released from prison gave me sense of what human beings can do when they’re guided by their hopes and not by their fears.”
Dalai Lama: “…man of courage, principle and unquestionable integrity, a great human being, someone of whom we can truly say. He lived a meaningful life.”
What did you say?
Alan Straton
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