News
December 12, 2013 Mthatha Fever
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Madiba to be honoured with dignity and pride REPORTER Eastern Cape Premier Noxolo Kiviet said in a statement over the weekend the performance and conduct of government as well as the conduct of people of the Eastern Cape during this period will have a significant bearing on public opinion in the country and beyond, and all activities are therefore material to our province reputation. “We must honour Madiba with dignity and pride. The official mourning period and the State Funeral is an opportunity for all South Africans and the international community to mourn the loss we all feel – and to celebrate Madiba’s extraordinary life and contribution to all of humanity,” said Kiviet.
“Let’s Work Together to make this period one in which we maintain the dignity and proud reputation of our country. “A great number of international visitors will make their way to our province to be part of memorial events and the State Funeral,” she said. Kiviet called on all people of the Eastern Cape to work with authorities to ensure that the dignity and security of key public events is maintained throughout this period. “As the province we have aligned our memorial events along the national programme and indeed as the Eastern Cape we are ready,”. Kiviet said that the province’s infrastructure is ready namely the roads, airports, public transport, stadia, electricity. Umtata Air-
port shall be exclusively utilised for landing of Heads of State only, while the two airports in PE and EL shall be open to the VIPs and public and VVIPs attending the funeral will be driven by luxury coaches to Qunu to avoid stampede in the N2. “Eskom has assured us that their Electricity network in the area has been maintained since September and contingency plans/ backup are in place in case of lapse. “Our economic network in the form of Banks, telecommunications, retail shops, media are ready to absorb the increased volumes this time. “Our hospitality sector is ready in terms of providing accommodation and tourism attraction led by Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency – a number of tourism informa-
tion centre kiosk have been mounted around the province to make it easier for tourists and mourners to navigate our beautiful province,” she said. “Our Safety and Security cluster is ready including SAPS police and Traffic Officers. This Team will be backed up by a team of 3000 marshals,” she said. Since other mourning activities and State funeral would not be accessible to everyone, the government have identified public viewing mourning areas (PVMA’s) where public can view footage from events. Some of the public viewing areas are: Rotary stadium; Open space below Qunu Museum; Mthatha Stadium; Khaya Majola Stadium; Empa Village next to Qunu; Nkalane village next to Qunu; Mvezo village; Holly Cross; Tsolo Junction.
‘I lost a friend in Madiba’ - Gebedwana SIMBONGILE MDLEDLE AN old man and a friend to Madiba during their heydays in Qunu expressed his agony after hearing the of his friend Nelson Rholihlahla Mandela. Kekana Gebedwana (92) besides being a friend to Tata (father in Xhosa) Nelson Mandela but they are also neighbours and during their glory days they used to spend time together and share some ideas and travel distances in a helicopter visiting different Kings in the Eastern Cape where they held meetings. It was after Mandela was released from prison. He said Mandela used to come to Qunu from Gauteng and send children to Gebedwana’s home to tell him that he should be ready because the following day they have a journey. Nelson Mandela the first black president in the democratic South Africa died in his home in Houghton, Gauteng last Thursday, after a long illness of lung infection. “I wish to die even myself because I’m also sick, so that I can rest. As Dalibhunga (Mandela) is gone I’m alone because he was the only person in this location whom I used to share our old issues. We started being sick
simultaneously and after that we never had time to stay together again. I used to hear that he was home here in Qunu but I was unable to visit him because I’m sick. I even heard that he was sick and he was flown back to Johannesburg but I had no power to visit him even myself because I was also sick. Even though it is painful to lose a man like him but God has rested his soul after his dedication in a fight against apartheid and he even surrendered his family and fought for the liberation of this country”, said the old man who is battling to hear properly. When the Fever arrived in his home not far from Mandela’s homestead the old man was watching the television set whilst the long walk to freedom of Nelson Mandela was being broadcasted on SABC channel. The agony was written on his face and he looked as if he was confused. What confused the old man, was though he heard that tata Mandela was no more but he was still seeing him addressing the audience onTV until the Fever team told him that those were the old recordings for Mandela. According to his grandson Phikolomzi, he was watching TV since 03h30 in the morning after he heard that Mandela was late. At Qunu it was quite and in all the homesteads
that Fever visited people were next to their television sets and radios listen attentively to the history of Mandela to achieve freedom in this country. The Fever also visited Gcitshane family not far from the school where Mandela did his primary education. It was reported that this family borrowed Mandela money to escape to exile. Nolusapho Zidlele from this homestead confirmed that Mandela was given money by her late mother in-law. She revealed that Mandela’s mother used to visit the family as they had local organizational meetings together with her mother-law. “I can say Mandela’s family was the close friend of my in-laws. We loved him and he must rest in peace as he played his role and changed the lives of many South Africans. Look now children are getting child support grants of which we never thought about,” she said. The Qunu resident Cingeyakhe Mahashe (42) also expressed his pain on the death of tata Mandela. “He was a great leader hoping that the present leadership will follow on his footsteps.” Soon after the announcement of Mandela’s death AbaThembu Traditional Leadership met to discuss the issue as a family in
Bumbane Great Place whilst there were prayers conducted throughout Mthatha for Mandela family to be strong.
The old man, Kekana Gebedwana who is in pain due to Mandela’s death. PHOTO:SIMBONGILE MDLEDLE
State funeral for SA’s beloved Madiba Continued from page 1. According to Machaea, the East London, Mthatha and Bulembu Airports and the surrounding roads will be expected to be busy until after the funeral. South African Airways will operate a special air transport service to ferry mourners who will attend the funeral of world icon and former president Nelson Mandela in the Eastern Cape.
This special service – for which travellers will pay - will cater for mourners who will attend the funeral and the service will also be available on the return leg of their travel. The special service does not replace and will not disrupt SAA’s existing daily operations to the Eastern Cape – except that airspace will be restricted around Mthatha. Who is expected in SA this week:
On Sunday, 13 African states have confirmed attendance, in addition to 15 from outside the continent. International and regional organisations from the United Nations and European Commission to the African Union, for example, have also confirmed attendance. Minister Collins Chabane said on Sunday that eleven (11) eminent persons will also be in South Africa during this period. From the United States, President and
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