World leaders descend on Soweto to mourn Mandela
President John Dramani Mahama will join more than 90 world leaders to attend the memorial service for the late former President of South Africa at the Soweto FNB Stadium in Pretoria today.
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The event will divert the world’s attention to South Africa, as the gathering of world leaders is likely to be the largest in recent times.
President Mahama had his inaugural Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum lecture at the Bard College in New York, United States of America (USA), resheduled to yesterday to enable him to leave for South Africa thereafter to participate in the memorial service.
US President Barack Obama, the British Premier, David Cameron, and the French President, Francois Hollande, are among the world leaders to participate in the memorial service at the 95,000-capacity Soweto FNB Stadium.
The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, and three former US Presidents — Jimmy Carter, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton — have all confirmed their attendance to bid farewell to one of Africa’s legendary leaders.
Mandela died last Thursday at the age of 95.
South Africa’s Parliament yesterday held a special session to pay tribute to Mandela, who spent 27 years in jail before becoming the country's first Black President in 1994.
He served a single term before stepping down in 1999.
A statement issued by the South African Foreign Ministry said the official memorial service would begin formally at 11 a.m.
It said President Jacob Zuma would address the official memorial service, while tributes would be paid by heads of state from the various regions of the globe, as well as representatives of international and regional organisations.
Other eminent persons are expected to also address the gathering.
“As we invite people to participate in this event, we must make the additional point that the body of President Mandela will not be in position at the Official Memorial Service. President Mandela will lie in state at the Union Buildings only from Wednesday, December 11 to 13 December, 2013,” it said.
The statement said provincial and local authorities had been requested to arrange transport for mourners from various parts of the country to the Soweto FNB Stadium and the overflow venues at the Ellis Park Stadium, the Orlando Stadium and the Dobsonville Stadium.
Big screens would be installed at the overflow venues to allow mourners to follow proceedings at the FNB Stadium, in the company of compatriots and fellow sympathisers.
It called on the people to cooperate and demonstrate patience and dignity if they were to be turned away.
There would be road closures around the FNB Stadium and no cars would be allowed at the stadium.
It said mourners to the FNB Stadium could travel by Metrorail from all major stations in Gauteng.