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| South Africa celebrates Nelson Mandela's 95th birthday | South Africa celebrates Nelson Mandela's 95th birthday |
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| The sound of schoolchildren singing "Happy birthday, Tata Madiba" rang out across South Africa on Thursday as the nation celebrated a milestone that just a month ago seemed too much to hope for: Nelson Mandela's 95th birthday. | The sound of schoolchildren singing "Happy birthday, Tata Madiba" rang out across South Africa on Thursday as the nation celebrated a milestone that just a month ago seemed too much to hope for: Nelson Mandela's 95th birthday. |
| The "born free" generation, who have no memory of Mandela's release from prison and have grown up hearing legends of his exploits, took part in events at schools and gathered outside the hospital in Pretoria where officials say Mandela's condition is steadily improving. | The "born free" generation, who have no memory of Mandela's release from prison and have grown up hearing legends of his exploits, took part in events at schools and gathered outside the hospital in Pretoria where officials say Mandela's condition is steadily improving. |
| At Melpark primary school in Johannesburg, around 700 students sang happy birthday in a hall filled with posters honouring Mandela's contributions to peace and education. "We don't only recognise him on this day," Thato Williams, a 13-year-old pupil, said during an assembly. "We put smiles on other people's faces, we donate to other people less fortunate." | At Melpark primary school in Johannesburg, around 700 students sang happy birthday in a hall filled with posters honouring Mandela's contributions to peace and education. "We don't only recognise him on this day," Thato Williams, a 13-year-old pupil, said during an assembly. "We put smiles on other people's faces, we donate to other people less fortunate." |
| Whereas the announcement in June that Mandela was in a critical condition brought sombre crowds to the Mediclinic heart hospital for what resembled a wake, on Thursday the mood was closer to a street party with bursts of song and jubilation. Members of the statesman's family visited him there and, according to his daughter Zindzi, gave him a collage of family photos as a present. "Tata (our father) is making this remarkable progress and we look forward to having him back home soon," she said. | Whereas the announcement in June that Mandela was in a critical condition brought sombre crowds to the Mediclinic heart hospital for what resembled a wake, on Thursday the mood was closer to a street party with bursts of song and jubilation. Members of the statesman's family visited him there and, according to his daughter Zindzi, gave him a collage of family photos as a present. "Tata (our father) is making this remarkable progress and we look forward to having him back home soon," she said. |
| President Jacob Zuma also paid a visit, reporting afterwards: "He continues to respond positively to treatment and we are encouraged by that progress being made. When I visited him today, I found him really stable and I was able to say 'happy birthday' and he was able to smile." | President Jacob Zuma also paid a visit, reporting afterwards: "He continues to respond positively to treatment and we are encouraged by that progress being made. When I visited him today, I found him really stable and I was able to say 'happy birthday' and he was able to smile." |
| Thursday witnessed, Zuma declared later, "the biggest Madiba birthday celebration ever". Many South Africans marked it with 67 minutes of public service to honour Mandela's 67 years as anti-apartheid activist and politician. Office workers, students, soldiers and citizens spruced up orphanages, planted trees, painted walls at schools and delivered food and blankets to the poor. Doctors administered eye tests, inoculations and other medical treatments. | Thursday witnessed, Zuma declared later, "the biggest Madiba birthday celebration ever". Many South Africans marked it with 67 minutes of public service to honour Mandela's 67 years as anti-apartheid activist and politician. Office workers, students, soldiers and citizens spruced up orphanages, planted trees, painted walls at schools and delivered food and blankets to the poor. Doctors administered eye tests, inoculations and other medical treatments. |
| Ethiopian and Nigerian asylum seekers cleaned streets in Johannesburg to pay tribute to a figure admired across Africa, while retired archbishop Desmond Tutu helped paint a school outside Cape Town. He said Mandela "makes us walk tall as South Africans and reminds us that we have the capacity to be a fantastic nation. Even though there are those who pour scorn on the image, the rainbow people, we delight, we glory in our diversity which makes us such a fantastic bunch of people." | Ethiopian and Nigerian asylum seekers cleaned streets in Johannesburg to pay tribute to a figure admired across Africa, while retired archbishop Desmond Tutu helped paint a school outside Cape Town. He said Mandela "makes us walk tall as South Africans and reminds us that we have the capacity to be a fantastic nation. Even though there are those who pour scorn on the image, the rainbow people, we delight, we glory in our diversity which makes us such a fantastic bunch of people." |
| National media reflected on Mandela's long life, from childhood in the rural village of Qunu to lawyer, boxer, militant activist, fugitive, world's most famous political prisoner, first black president and champion of good causes. His last major public appearance came three years ago at the football World Cup final. "South Africa is a better place today than it was in 1994 and this is because of the contribution made by Madiba and his collective," the governing African National Congress said. | National media reflected on Mandela's long life, from childhood in the rural village of Qunu to lawyer, boxer, militant activist, fugitive, world's most famous political prisoner, first black president and champion of good causes. His last major public appearance came three years ago at the football World Cup final. "South Africa is a better place today than it was in 1994 and this is because of the contribution made by Madiba and his collective," the governing African National Congress said. |
| George Bizos, a lawyer who defended Mandela at the Rivonia trial 50 years ago, told the eNews Channel Africa: "He must be very pleased that on this day the whole world wishes him well and praises him to the sky. I don't know of any other human being who has been universally acclaimed by the people of the world at large. I think that we in South Africa believe in him and try to fulfil his vision of what South Africa should look like." | George Bizos, a lawyer who defended Mandela at the Rivonia trial 50 years ago, told the eNews Channel Africa: "He must be very pleased that on this day the whole world wishes him well and praises him to the sky. I don't know of any other human being who has been universally acclaimed by the people of the world at large. I think that we in South Africa believe in him and try to fulfil his vision of what South Africa should look like." |
| Mandela's ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela called the 95th birthday "a gift to the nation" and rejected anxieties that his eventual death would spell the end of his vision. "There are sometimes prophets of doom who say the country will come to a standstill," she told Radio 702. "The country will solidify, come together and carry on." | Mandela's ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela called the 95th birthday "a gift to the nation" and rejected anxieties that his eventual death would spell the end of his vision. "There are sometimes prophets of doom who say the country will come to a standstill," she told Radio 702. "The country will solidify, come together and carry on." |
| The Nobel peace laureate's birthday was marked around the world including in a special session at the UN in New York. Bill Clinton, the former US president, told the meeting: "Although he is old and frail and fighting for his life and, as Hillary and Chelsea and I have seen in visiting Qunu over the last couple of years, he doesn't hear so well and he walks with the benefit of an elevated walker, what is in his heart still glows in his smile and lights up the room through his eyes." | The Nobel peace laureate's birthday was marked around the world including in a special session at the UN in New York. Bill Clinton, the former US president, told the meeting: "Although he is old and frail and fighting for his life and, as Hillary and Chelsea and I have seen in visiting Qunu over the last couple of years, he doesn't hear so well and he walks with the benefit of an elevated walker, what is in his heart still glows in his smile and lights up the room through his eyes." |
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