ANC postpones Qunu visit
THE state of the nation address was not the only major event postponed this week.
The ANC has also postponed its visit to the Qunu homestead of Nelson Mandela to lay wreaths at his grave this weekend.
It was agreed with family at Qunu last month that the laying of wreaths would take place on February 11, the day Mandela was released from 27 years’ incarceration, most of them in prison on Robben Island prison.
But instead of commemorating the day on Sunday as agreed last year, the ANC’s leadership will be in the Western Cape to commemorate the day.
ANC national spokeswoman Khuselwa Diko said the ANC would also launch the Mandela centenary celebrations in the Grand Parade in Cape Town on the same day.
“We are in engagement with the family on these plans and have agreed with them to look at another date for a programme in Qunu,’’ said Diko.
Although Diko gave no reason for postponing the visit to Qunu on Sunday, ANC provincial chairman Oscar Mabuyane said the leadership felt they should visit the Mandela home on July 18, which would have been his 100th birthday.
There are, however, some activities lined up in Mthatha tomorrow.
The National Heritage Council (NHC) and tourism department will on that day host events at the Nelson Mandela Museum, including a “release Mandela historic memories event”, at which some of the comrades who were part of the reception committee on his release from prison in 1990 will be present to reminisce about the historic day.
Madiba’s grandson Nkosi Mandla Mandela said that he was not informed about the changes regarding the visit to Qunu.
“I don’t have information about this. I have seen from flyers [pamphlets] information about the event in Cape Town,” Mandla said.
On January 10, ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa with his top five party bosses and NEC members visited Qunu, but could not go to Mandela’s grave site because the family felt that some rituals in line with AbaThembu customary practices needed to be conducted first.
At the event, Tourism Minister Tokozile Xasa is expected to announce the Mandela 100 heritage sites. Department spokeswoman Sindi Zwane said Xasa would also announce tourism programmes aligned to the celebration of the Nelson Mandela Centenary.
Also tomorrow, the Nelson Mandela Museum in partnership with the sport, recreation, arts and culture and South African National Boxing Organisation will be having an Open Boxing International tournament at the Nelson Mandela Museum’s Bhunga Building in Mthatha.