Major plans for Madiba’s grave
Renovations afoot to allow public access
NELSON Mandela’s grave has been spruced up in preparation for it to be opened to the public.
New gates, roof structures and shelters have already been installed where the world icon and former statesman is buried. The gravesite’s facelift at Mandela’s Qunu farm along the N2 between Dutywa and Mthatha has been confirmed by the community, who said a number of contractors have been busy working there.
Mandela was buried site in December 2013.
Mandela’s son, Makgatho, who died in 2005, is also buried at the gravesite as well as other relatives.
Plans have also been made for a public viewing area at the site.
Community members have apparently also learnt that Madiba’s homestead could be opened to the public or to tourists, but Mandela’s grandson, Ndaba, denied this.
A Dispatch source close to the Mandela family, said Ndaba said the renovations were part of a plan to open the gravesite for public viewing in July, which would mark Mandela’s 100th birthday.
Nelson Mandela Museum spokeswoman, Nokuzola Tetani said: “As the Nelson Mandela Museum we would welcome the reopening of Nelson Mandela’s grave to the public.
“Access to Madiba’s grave will have positive economic spin-offs for Mthatha, Eastern Cape and South Africa as a at the country.
A Qunu-based Dispatch source said Ndaba recently visited the house and the site.
“There have been contractors who have been working in that gravesite preparing it for the celebrations. When we asked the contractors they were mum, they would not tell us what was happening,” the source said.
When contacted to verify this, Ndaba would not say anything about the renovations and refuted claims that the house could be turned into a museum. “No, it will never be a museum,” he said, in a text message.
But as the late state president’s gravesite is being spruced up, his homestead is said to be in a bad shape.
The house has not been painted since Mandela died.
Villagers close to the family confirmed this, saying the family needed to attend to this.
“The house was last painted while the old man was still alive. The paint is peeling off the wall and it need major renovations,” said the source, who is a regular visitor to Mandela’s farm.
The source went on to say that they were happy with work at the gravesite.
The Dispatch noticed that the fields were no longer being cultivated while the cattle were surviving on lucerne bought by the family.
But Nkosi Mandla Mandela, who stays in the house when he’s in the Eastern Cape, said: “It is a fabrication that my grandfather uTatomkhulu Madiba’s properties are not being maintained or have been abandoned by the family.
“We have utmost faith in the executors of uTatomkhulu’s estate, Judge [Themba] Sangoni, Judge [Dikgang] Moseneke and Advocate [George] Bizos SC,” he said. — bonganif@dispatch.