South Africa on Friday marked one-year anniversary of the death of its first post-apartheid President, Nelson Mandela, in a low-key, but emotive ceremony.
Mandela’s widow, Graca Machel, addressed his relatives and dignitaries at the Union Buildings, the official seat of the South African government, in Pretoria.
Machel said: “When he left, he said: ‘I leave you in peace, and I want you to live in peace.’
“Peace is the gift of legacy he left us.”
Machel added that South Africa still had “a long way to overcome racial, ethnic, religious and gender divisions”.
Mandela’s longtime friend, Ahmed Kathrada, said that Mandela was both “proud and simple” and would be remembered for his “humanity and courage”.
Relatives, friends, cabinet ministers, women and children laid wreaths at the foot of a Mandela statue in the gardens of the Union Buildings, where members of the public had gathered.
The programme was also due to include three minutes of silence, a ringing of bells, an address by Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa, and interfaith prayers.
Reports say similar ceremonies were taking place around the country.
Mandela died on December 5, 2013 at the age of 95.
His anti-apartheid activities led him to jail for 27 years, including years of hard labour that took a toll on his health.
After his release from prison in 1990, Mandela sought reconciliation and a new South Africa where blacks and whites would live with equal rights.
After the 46-year apartheid regime collapsed, Mandela won the country’s first democratic elections in 1994 and served as South Africa’s first black president for five years.
dpa/NAN.
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