World toasts Mandela’s health as icon fights for life
South Africa's former President, Nelson Mandela (L) blows out the candles on his birthday cake, as his wife Graca Mache watches, during his 90th birthday celebrations at his house in Qunu July 19, 2008. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- His family and people who have visited him have made conflicting statements--some saying he is on life support and others reporting that his condition has improved.
Dar es Salaam/Johannesburg. Well-wishers worldwide will today toast South Africa’s first black president, Nelson Mandela, and wish him a happy 95th birthday.
The anti-apartheid hero has been clinging to life for more than a month and this has given rise to a growing belief that he is fighting his last battle and the world should prepare for the inevitable.
South Africans and fans of Africa’s most charismatic leader have been praying that the legendary Mandela crosses yet another milestone but his stay in hospital has been clouded with anxiety and his admirers worldwide are holding their breath in the hope that he makes it past this birthday.
Reports from South Africa say his family, the African National Congress (ANC) and the government have been consulting over his funeral, which is likely to be held in his village of Qunu in keeping with his wishes.
His illness has sparked a storm that has drawn in the family, the ANC, President Zuma and even the monarch of his Thembu tribe.
King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo is fighting to keep his crown following a spat with a local chief and Mandela’s grandson, Mandla, over the management of the icon’s legacy.
To complicate matters further, South Africans believe the presidency, which is tasked with issuing updates on Mandela’s health, is not being frank. For two weeks, his condition has been described as “critical but stable”.
His family and people who have visited him have made conflicting statements--some saying he is on life support and others reporting that his condition has improved. Doctors at the Mediclinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria are treating him for a lung infection.
“We are not getting as much information as we should,” said Jacqueline Noah, who visited the hospital with her mother and seven-year-old son to pay tribute to Mandela. “Why is there so much secrecy? He is also our father. We want the truth.”
Visits are strictly restricted and only those close to him and his family are allowed in. Without much information, many have concluded that these are the icon’s last days, given his failing health and advanced age.
Nelson Mandela 95th birthday card unveiled
A giant card to mark Nelson Mandela’s 95th birthday was unveiled on Tuesday. The card is part of the Mandela 95 celebrations.
It was to be on display for the public to sign at the Nelson Mandela Football Invitational Games, both at Loftus Versfeld on July 14 and in Durban on Mandela Day, which is celebrated on July 18.
When closed, the card measures an incredible three metres by two metres and is a fitting tribute to a man of such stature. It presents football fans with a personal opportunity to send their best wishes to Madiba.
The Sky Blues, who were runners-up in the English Premier League last season, meet SuperSport United first and then take on AmaZulu at Moses Mabhida Stadium today as they also pay tribute to the former South African president.
The matches will highlight “Mandela Day” and the “67 minutes for Madiba” campaign to a worldwide audience as South Africa celebrates the legacy left by the universally-loved former statesman.
South Africa launches smart card to mark Mandela’s 95th birthday
The South African government will today issue a new smart identification (ID) card to mark Mandela’s 95th birthday.
Minister of Home Affairs Naledi Pandor praised Mandela for his contribution to the national liberation movement, saying, “Mandela’s lifelong struggle for freedom and human rights for South Africans and the oppressed all over the world was dedicated to acknowledging the fundamental worth of each and every human being.”
