Fulfilling Mandela’s wish to have his cattle thrive

FROM the age of five, Nelson Mandela had a special love for his cattle. And even as he grew older and more frail, that love continued — he would walk into his fields or ask for the herd to be brought closer to his Qunu home so that he could look at the animals.

He wrote in Long Walk To Freedom: “I was no more than five when I became a herdboy, looking after sheep and calves in the field. I discovered the almost mystical attachment that the Xhosa have for cattle, not only as a source of food and wealth, but as a blessing from God and a source of happiness.”

Now, seven months after his death, that beloved herd is stronger than ever and has grown.

“There are 99 now; 24 are calves. Everything is very good,” said Wiseman Qingana, 61, one of two men responsible for looking after the cattle. In January, Qingana said, he had 74 head of cattle.

Qingana is up before dawn every morning and walks across the road from his homestead to Mandela’s to let the herd out of their kraal and into one of three camps on the farm. They are fed and sheltered from the bitterly cold and windy days in the Qunu winter before Qingana returns them to the kraal.

Although the herd has grown in size, the cattle are not quite as fat as before. “It’s winter now, so the grass is dry and there isn’t any feed like lucerne, so they’re not as fat as they are in summer. But they’re still very healthy,” said Qingana.

I discovered the almost mystical attachment that the Xhosa have for cattle, not only as a source of food and wealth, but as a blessing from God and a source of happiness

In his will, which was made public in January, Mandela specifically asked for his “farm manager” to remain employed at the homestead to ensure his livestock were cared for after his death. However, the farm manager, Ntlantsi Livi, died before Mandela did. But the will said a replacement should be found if the manager could not do the job. Qingana, who has worked on the farm for 12 years, was kept on.

Seated on a wooden bench inside a rondavel on his homestead on Thursday, the evening before Mandela’s birthday, Qingana said he was delighted to be Madiba’s herdsman. He said he looked after Mandela’s animals as well as his own flock of 33 sheep, which were grazing outside as he spoke.

“Since Mandela is gone, there is a feeling of sadness here. I’m happy that I can look after something he loved even when he isn’t here.

“I’m excited about doing it,” said Qingana.