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| Nelson Mandela: Coffin being taken to Qunu | Nelson Mandela: Coffin being taken to Qunu |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Nelson Mandela's coffin has been flown to the Eastern Cape region of South Africa for the final leg of the journey to his ancestral home in Qunu. | Nelson Mandela's coffin has been flown to the Eastern Cape region of South Africa for the final leg of the journey to his ancestral home in Qunu. |
| The casket, accompanied by senior clan and family members, was greeted at Mthatha airport by a military guard of honour. | The casket, accompanied by senior clan and family members, was greeted at Mthatha airport by a military guard of honour. |
| Local people have been invited to form a human chain to pay their respects along the route to Qunu. | Local people have been invited to form a human chain to pay their respects along the route to Qunu. |
| A state funeral will be held on Sunday for Mr Mandela, who died on 5 December. | A state funeral will be held on Sunday for Mr Mandela, who died on 5 December. |
| At least 100,000 people saw the former South African president's body lying in state in Pretoria over the last three days, but some had to be turned away. | At least 100,000 people saw the former South African president's body lying in state in Pretoria over the last three days, but some had to be turned away. |
| Last respects | Last respects |
| The C130 military aircraft carrying the coffin, escorted by two fighter jets, arrived in Mthatha at 13:37 local (11:37 GMT). | The C130 military aircraft carrying the coffin, escorted by two fighter jets, arrived in Mthatha at 13:37 local (11:37 GMT). |
| To solemn music, the coffin draped in a South African flag was moved by a military guard of honour and placed in a hearse to begin the road journey. | |
| People waving flags and singing lined the route taken by the cortege through Mthatha town to pay their last respects. | |
| Ahead of Sunday's state funeral and burial, the coffin is to rest overnight in the grounds of the royal house of Thembu in Qunu. | |
| The Thembu community will conduct a traditional ceremony in a giant white marquee that has been specially erected. | |
| Some 4,000 people, including presidents from Africa, several prime ministers, the Iranian vice-president, and the Prince of Wales, are expected to attend. | Some 4,000 people, including presidents from Africa, several prime ministers, the Iranian vice-president, and the Prince of Wales, are expected to attend. |
| However, Archbishop Desmond Tutu - a long-time friend of Nelson Mandela - has cancelled arrangements to fly to the Eastern Cape for the funeral after saying he had not been invited. | |
| Archbishop Tutu, said he had no wish to "gatecrash what was billed as a private family funeral". But the South African government - which Archbishop Tutu has criticised - later said the churchman had been invited. | |
| Exuberant | Exuberant |
| Ahead of the flight to the Eastern Cape, Earlier, members of the African National Congress paid final tributes to Nelson Mandela at a ceremony in Pretoria. | |
| President Jacob Zuma, other ANC leaders and more than 1,000 members of the organisation which Mr Mandela once led, attended the event at the Waterkloof air base. | |
| It included a multi-faith service and a musical tribute. | |
| Mourners heard President Zuma pay his own tribute to Nelson Mandela, calling him a "towering figure", "a man of action" and a "democrat who understood the world." | Mourners heard President Zuma pay his own tribute to Nelson Mandela, calling him a "towering figure", "a man of action" and a "democrat who understood the world." |
| "Yes, we will miss him... He was our father, he was our guardian. He was something special." | "Yes, we will miss him... He was our father, he was our guardian. He was something special." |
| "We'll always keep you in our hearts," Mr Zuma said. | "We'll always keep you in our hearts," Mr Zuma said. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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