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| Nelson Mandela to be buried in Qunu ancestral home | Nelson Mandela to be buried in Qunu ancestral home |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Nelson Mandela is to be buried in his ancestral home in Qunu in the Eastern Cape, ending a week of commemorations for South Africa's first black leader. | Nelson Mandela is to be buried in his ancestral home in Qunu in the Eastern Cape, ending a week of commemorations for South Africa's first black leader. |
| Some 4,500 people - including foreign dignitaries - will be attending the funeral, which will blend state ceremonial with traditional rituals. | Some 4,500 people - including foreign dignitaries - will be attending the funeral, which will blend state ceremonial with traditional rituals. |
| Members of his family attended an overnight vigil, with a traditional praise singer believed to be chanting details of his long journey and life. | |
| He died on 5 December aged 95. | He died on 5 December aged 95. |
| Tutu to attend | Tutu to attend |
| The state funeral is expected to start at 06:00 GMT, when the coffin will be taken from Mr Mandela's house to a giant white marquee that has been specially erected. | The state funeral is expected to start at 06:00 GMT, when the coffin will be taken from Mr Mandela's house to a giant white marquee that has been specially erected. |
| Mr Mandela's Thembu community will conduct a traditional Xhosa ceremony - including songs and poems about Mr Mandela's life and his achievements. | Mr Mandela's Thembu community will conduct a traditional Xhosa ceremony - including songs and poems about Mr Mandela's life and his achievements. |
| An ox will be slaughtered. A family elder will stay near the coffin, which has been draped with a lion's skin, to talk "to the body's spirit". | An ox will be slaughtered. A family elder will stay near the coffin, which has been draped with a lion's skin, to talk "to the body's spirit". |
| A number of foreign dignitaries have already arrived in Qunu, including the Prince of Wales. Several African presidents and the Iranian vice-president are expected to attend the funeral. | |
| Archbishop Desmond Tutu - a long-time friend of Nelson Mandela - has confirmed he will be present, having earlier said he had cancelled his flight as he had not received an invitation. | Archbishop Desmond Tutu - a long-time friend of Nelson Mandela - has confirmed he will be present, having earlier said he had cancelled his flight as he had not received an invitation. |
| The South African government had earlier said the archbishop was accredited, but that no formal invitations had been sent out. | The South African government had earlier said the archbishop was accredited, but that no formal invitations had been sent out. |
| 'Sad but happy' | 'Sad but happy' |
| On Saturday, Mr Mandela's coffin was flown from Waterkloof airbase in Pretoria on a C130 military aircraft, escorted by two fighter jets. It later landed at Mthatha airport, some 700km (450 miles) away. | On Saturday, Mr Mandela's coffin was flown from Waterkloof airbase in Pretoria on a C130 military aircraft, escorted by two fighter jets. It later landed at Mthatha airport, some 700km (450 miles) away. |
| In line with tribal custom, Nelson Mandela's grandson Mandla accompanied him on the journey, speaking to his coffin to tell him he was on his way home to rest. | In line with tribal custom, Nelson Mandela's grandson Mandla accompanied him on the journey, speaking to his coffin to tell him he was on his way home to rest. |
| 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 32km journey to Qunu, where Mr Mandela had wanted to spend his final days. | 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 32km journey to Qunu, where Mr Mandela had wanted to spend his final days. |
| People waving flags and cheering and singing - in places 10 to 12 deep - lined the route taken by the cortege through Mthatha town to pay their last respects. | People waving flags and cheering and singing - in places 10 to 12 deep - lined the route taken by the cortege through Mthatha town to pay their last respects. |
| Tears as well as smiles could be seen on the faces of onlookers. | Tears as well as smiles could be seen on the faces of onlookers. |
| "He is finally coming home to rest, I can't even begin to describe the feeling I have inside," 31-year-old Bongani Zibi told AFP news agency. | "He is finally coming home to rest, I can't even begin to describe the feeling I have inside," 31-year-old Bongani Zibi told AFP news agency. |
| "Part of me is sad but I'm also happy that he has found peace." | "Part of me is sad but I'm also happy that he has found peace." |
| However, some people expressed their frustration that the convoy did not stop, so they had no chance to view the coffin as people in Pretoria had. | However, some people expressed their frustration that the convoy did not stop, so they had no chance to view the coffin as people in Pretoria had. |
| The cortege then drove through the gates of the Mandela homestead in Qunu. | The cortege then drove through the gates of the Mandela homestead in Qunu. |
| Ahead of the flight to the Eastern Cape, members of the African National Congress paid final tributes to Nelson Mandela at a ceremony in Pretoria. | Ahead of the flight to the Eastern Cape, 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. | 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. | 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. |
| At least 100,000 people saw the former president's body lying in state during the week in Pretoria, but some had to be turned away. | At least 100,000 people saw the former president's body lying in state during the week in Pretoria, but some had to be turned away. |
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