World prayers keep Madiba and family strong – Mandla
NELSON Mandela’s old age means sometimes he will need to go to hospital, his grandson Chief Mandla Mandela said.
Mandla spoke to the Dispatch on Saturday afternoon at his Mvezo Great Place after the funeral of Florence Nondlela Mandela, 96, in Qunu on Saturday.
Florence was a cousin of Mandela who lived in Qunu. She died earlier this month.
“I don’t want to discuss Nkosi Dalibhunga’s [Mandela’s praise name] health, but the reality is that he is an old man who will need to be taken to hospital at any given time,” said Mandla.
Speaking at the funeral earlier in the day, Mandla asked people to continue praying for his ailing grandfather and said the prayers kept Madiba strong. “Nkosi Dalibhunga will only gather strength, get better and rise from his hospital bed through your prayers as South Africans and the world.
“Please keep on praying for him and us as a family. He does not belong only to us as the family, but to all South Africans, Africa and the whole world,” said Mandla.
Reverend Vuyani Manciya announced at the funeral that Mandela’s clan nephew, AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, had called for all AbaThembu, traditional and church leaders and congregants to his Bumbane Great Place for a mass prayer meeting for Mandela on Saturday June 22.
While appreciating the call, Mandla said it was a pity the Mandela family had not been consulted. “This is the first time I hear about it. Although it is a good gesture by King Zwelibanzi [Dalindyebo’s praise name], His Majesty as our relative was supposed to have consulted with us first.”
Dalindyebo’s spokeswoman declined to comment on Mandla’s comments but confirmed the planned prayer meeting.
Mandla said when he recently visited Madiba in hospital, he was happy with the progress his grandfather was making.
“When we left him he was looking better. Though it is a difficult period for the family, we have been heartened by the overwhelming messages of support and prayers,” he said. Mandla also praised the SANDF medical team looking after his grandfather.
“We are fully cognisant of the fact that millions of people in the country and around the world regard Madiba as their parent and are as concerned about his wellbeing as we are. The family would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the South African government under President Jacob Zuma, the ANC and the doctors in charge of Madiba’s health,” he said.
Family spokesman Bangixhanti Mandela thanked family members for their role in Florence’s funeral.
“The family of Dalibhunga always assists in Mandela funerals here in Qunu. We are proud of them for that,” said Bangixhanti.
A throng of journalists and photographers attended the funeral to hear what Mandla had to say about his ailing grandfather.
A delegation of Christians was turned away from Mandela’s Qunu home yesterday when they came to offer prayers.
When the missionaries, from the Reformed Church of Christ and Apostolic Faith Mission, arrived at the Mandela house two police officers at the gate turned them away. Two of them, while trying to take pictures of themselves outside the house, were briefly arrested and held inside a security room at the gate. This resulted in a heated exchange between the group and the police.
Apostolic Faith Mission women’s leader Nomzingisi Jonga, 44, said: “We came here because we had a prophecy at our night vigil yesterday [Saturday], to … pray for Madiba in his grounds. Now we are being denied access and also we were told not to pray in front of his gate. I wish I could share with you the prophecy, but now it is only God who knows. Let His will be done,” said Jonga. Then they crossed the N2 to pray in public.
Thambisa Nomatshitshi, 21, said she was disappointed at how the police treated them. “You cannot just arrest us because we are praying for Mandela, it’s wrong,” she said.
One police officer accused the group of betraying the freedom Mandela fought for. Police also tried to stop the media from taking pictures of the incident. Eastern Cape police could not immediately comment. —
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