Family members to fly with remains

THE FAMILY of Nelson Mandela are to accompany his remains from the nation’s capital to his final resting place in Qunu today.

“The body of Nelson Mandela will leave Waterkloof Air Force Base (in Pretoria) at 10.45am,” family spokesman General Temba Matanzima said last night.

“He will leave Waterkloof with members of the family, who will accompany him.”

Before the departure to the East- ern Cape though, Mandela will receive an official send-off from the Air Force base with full military honours.

The start of the two-day funeral procession will be led by the armed forces with a 21-gun salute, a flyover by the SA Air Force, and several guards of honour.

According to the programme of events, the military will hand over Mandela’s remains to the ANC early this morning for the party’s leaders to bid farewell, before the military retakes control of the body in preparation for the flight to the Eastern Cape. The two hours set aside for the ANC will be the only time the coffin will not be draped in the national flag.

Matanzima said: “When they land in Mthatha, at about 12.45pm (today), the body and the delegation… will be met by members of the family, members of the Thembu nation, and others who are prepared to meet and accompany the family.”

From there, the convoy would proceed through the streets of Mthatha.

“There will be two stops. There will be a stop on York Road, next to the old stadium, and there will be another stop at Ultra City for 10 or 15 minutes for people to see,” he added.

From there, the convoy would proceed to Qunu, and it is expected that members of the public will line the 36km route from Mthatha Airport all the way to Qunu, where the remains would be handed over to the Mandela family by the military.

“The members of the family will then do their part, taking the body into the house of Madiba, and there they will wait until the next morning, when the official funeral will take place.”

Proceedings are scheduled to get under way at 9am tomorrow.

Qunu has been under a military lockdown for most of the week leading up to the funeral.

Guests who have been accredited to attend the funeral will be transported from a park-and-ride facility at Walter Sisulu University.

A number of sitting and former heads of state, royals, including Prince Charles, and other dignitaries are expected to attend.