Mandela au seuil de la mort, la famille en prières

Enfants et petits-enfants de Nelson Mandela ont tenu un conseil de famille mardi et prié avec l'archevêque anglican du Cap pour que l'ancien président sud-africain, toujours dans un état critique, s'éteigne en paix en "une parfaite fin" de vie.

"Que ta bénédiction repose sur Madiba maintenant et à jamais. Donne lui, nous te prions, une nuit calme et une bonne, une parfaite fin", a dit le révérend Thabo Makgoba, venu soutenir la famille dans l'épreuve à la clinique de Pretoria où Mandela est hospitalisé depuis plus de deux semaines.

Le chef de l'église anglicane d'Afrique australe a prié avec Graça Machel, l'épouse de Mandela, et plusieurs de ses proches, demandant à Dieu de "donner à Madiba la guérison éternelle et le soulagement de la peine et des souffrances", selon le texte de sa prière transmise à l'AFP.

Madiba est le nom de clan affectueusement utilisé en Afrique du Sud pour désigner l'ancien chef d'Etat, icône mondiale de la réconciliation raciale.

Agé de 94 ans, Nelson Mandela est depuis 48 heures dans un état critique. Il avait été admis en urgence le 8 juin après une reprise de l'infection pulmonaire qui le tourmente depuis deux ans et demi.

A l'extérieur de l'hôpital, devant lequel cent colombes ont été lâchées dans la journée, message de paix et d'hommage au grand homme, et où l'hymne sud-africain été entonné, de nombreux anonymes sont venus improviser une veillée, sous l'oeil d'un contingent de plus en plus fourni de médias.

Lerato Boulares, un homme d'affaires, espérait que "Dieu se contente d'emprunter Mandela pour quelque temps", sous-entendu avant de le rendre aux Sud-Africains.

Akash Gangaram avait fait la route depuis Johannesburg, convaincu de vivre une soirée "pas seulement différente mais historique". "Je suis là à cause de papa Mandela. Avant c'était l'apartheid, maintenant c'est la démocratie. Aujourd'hui je suis libre et personne ne peut me dire de rentrer chez moi", commentait Tolly Mogane.

La journée de mardi a été marquée par la réunion organisée par la fille aînée de Mandela, Makaziwe, et plusieurs petits-enfants à Qunu, le village de son enfance.

Ils se sont retrouvés dans la maison que Nelson Mandela avait faite construire à la chute du régime raciste de l'apartheid dans ce village où il souhaite être inhumé et qui abrite un carré familial des Mandela.

"C'est une réunion des amadlomos", a déclaré un participant qui a requis l'anonymat, faisant allusion à une branche du clan Thembu auquel appartiennent les Mandela.

Aucun membre de la famille n'a voulu indiquer l'objet de cette réunion, des rumeurs évoquant des dissensions sur le site retenu pour accueillir la tombe de Nelson Mandela.

Certains proches plaideraient en faveur d'une inhumation dans le village de Mvezo, où il est né, à une quarantaine de kilomètres par une piste de terre et où son petit-fils Mandla entretient un projet de mémorial aux prétentions pharaoniques à l'aune de la modestie de ce coin de campagne aussi idyllique qu'isolé.

Officiellement, l'état de Nelson Mandela ne s'est pas aggravé depuis dimanche soir. Mais la ministre de la Défense en charge de la santé des anciens présidents Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula est revenue faire un saut à l'hôpital en début de soirée, sans faire de déclaration à sa sortie.

La présidence sud-africaine s'est contentée pour sa part de dire que l'état de santé du premier président noir d'Afrique du Sud (1994-1999) était "inchangé", sans autre détail médical ni sur les soins ni sur le type d'appareillage utilisé.

Plus sybillin encore, le vice-président Kgalema Motlanthe a lui déclaré: "Nous devons le garder dans nos prières mais laisser le Tout-Puissant décider".

Le flux des visiteurs, strictement restreint à la famille la semaine dernière, s'est élargi mardi, même s'il est peu probable que le président américain Barack Obama, attendu vendredi soir pour une visite d'Etat de trois jours, vienne le voir.

"Le président Obama aurait aimé voir le président Mandela, mais il est souffrant", a sobrement noté la ministre des Affaires étrangères, Maite Nkoane Mashebane.

Pourtant habitués à son absence - Mandela n'est pas apparu en public depuis le Mondial de football en 2010 -, les Sud-Africains envisagent avec difficulté sa future disparition.

Et les messages de soutien ont continué d'arriver du monde entier, de la chanteuse Rihanna au Premier ministre du Zimbabwe Morgan Tsvangirai.

Mandela a passé vingt-sept ans en prison dont dix-huit au bagne de Robben Island au large du Cap, où M. Obama a prévu une visite-hommage.

Libéré en 1990, Mandela avait reçu en 1993 le prix Nobel de la paix - conjointement avec le dernier président du régime de l'apartheid, Frederik de Klerk - pour avoir évité une guerre civile que beaucoup disaient inévitable dans un pays meurtri par les brutalités et l'injustice.

Premier président noir de son pays de 1994 à 1999, il est retiré de la vie politique depuis près de dix ans et est volontiers décrit par ses compatriotes comme "le père de la Nation" sud-africaine et à l'étranger comme l'icône de la paix et du pardon.

http://www.lexpress.mu/article/mandela-au-seuil-de-la-mort-la-famille-en-prieres

Nelson Mandela's release from prison
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2010/feb/11/nelsonmandela-southafrica#/?picture=359220849&index=11

A tribute to Madiba - Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
http://www.ezakwantu.com/Gallery%20Nelson%20Mandela%20-%20Madiba.htm


Google Historic info -

Amid Mandela’s Health Concerns, Zuma Cancels Trip

JOHANNESBURG — South African President Jacob Zuma has cancelled a one-day trip to neighboring Mozambique amid reports that anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela remains in critical condition in a Pretoria hospital for a fifth day. His condition is overshadowing a planned visit to South Africa by U.S. President Barack Obama, but has not yet prompted the American president to change his plans.

The South African presidency remains tight-lipped about medical details, but it appears the former South African leader may be in a dire condition.

“Now and again,” Nelson Mandela once said, “ there have been rumors that my health has broken down and that I am on my last legs."

He said that in 1981. Now, 32 years later - with a presidential term and a Nobel Peace Prize in the rearview mirror - there may finally be some truth to that rumor.

http://www.voanews.com/content/amid-mandelas-health-concerns-zuma-cancels-trip/1690187.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/south-africa-prepares-to-say-farewell-to-nelson-mandela-as-jacob-zuma-cancels-trip-to-mozambique-8675878.html

Obama Begins Africa Trip With Senegal Stops as Mandela Declines




President Barack Obama began his three-country tour of Africa in Senegal today, highlighting government and judicial reforms in this West African democracy that is an example of stability in the Sahel in the face of unrest in neighboring Mali.

Senegalese President Macky Sall welcomed Obama to the presidential palace in Dakar where the leaders are to hold a news conference later today. Obama also is to meet today with judicial leaders and will tour the former slave house on Goree Island.

Obama’s visit to sub-Saharan Africa, beginning in this mostly Muslim nation of 13 million people, is being overshadowed as Nelson Mandela, the 94-year-old former South African president and anti-apartheid icon, is in critical condition after weeks of hospitalization for a lung infection.

Still, thousands of people lined the streets of Dakar, playing music, carrying welcome signs and wearing T-shirts picturing Obama and Sall.

Obama arrived in Dakar last night on a visit that also includes planned stops in South Africa and Tanzania before a July 2 return to Washington.

Sall, 51, a former prime minister and National Assembly president, was elected as president of Senegal last year after defeating the two-term incumbent, Abdoulaye Wade. Wade faced allegations of corruption and nepotism, and criticisms for postponing elections and limiting civil liberties.

Sall took office promising to institute democratic reforms including a reduction in the length of presidential terms to five years from seven.

To contact the reporters on this story: Margaret Talev in Dakar, Senegal at mtalev@bloomberg.net; Julianna Goldman in Dakar, Senegal at jgoldman6@bloomberg.net

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-27/obama-begins-africa-trip-with-senegal-stops-as-mandela-declines.html

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/politics/article/Obama-sees-a-hopeful-democratic-example-in-Senegal-4624966.php#photo-4843021

In keeping with the great and important Pan African Congress spirit, then South African Embassy in London, their staff and experts - between 1986 to 1991 the quasi official office of that SIROP program, that ex Coach House and BRC Refugee Home.

How it influenced then Many great events of EU, the ECU/EURO, the WWW, the developments and daily/weekly and monthly issues to then South Africa, Apartheid, our Seychelles issues, then our important Italian Masonic/fraternal/Illuminati connections.

In the name of all those great Freedom fighters like Oliver Tombo, even the late husband of current Mrs Mandela the Mozambique President lost his life because of that place - we request that those close to President Mandela make a copy of that Place 87a Victoria Rd, Kilburn Brent, the make shift desk we wrote that SIROP program on and the flag and place it/them by President Mandela hospital bed or at his private home - without them South Africa would be a very different country today and so to President Nelson Mandela.

We know White House is watching our Facebook space and many others.


https://www.facebook.com/groups/341060205942282/

Ever since the former South African President, Nelson Mandela’s health condition deteriorated, South Africans have continued to fret over his critical condition in the hospital. The 94-year old apartheid crusader, who has been hospitalised for over two weeks, is supremely venerated by the reason of his novel sacrifice for the freedom of his people.

The South African President, Jacob Zuma, last week, urged the entire world to join South Africans to keep praying fervently for the 94-year old freedom fighter.

The weighty question now starring in the face of South Africans is what will become of the country if Madiba passes on. Fear of Mandela’s demise has continued to dominate the feelings of his people.

The biggest fear in a post-Mandela era is that a war would likely pit the two largest tribes, the Xhosas and Zulus, against each other. Mandela is a Xhosa, but spent much of his presidency assiduously cultivating good relations with the Zulus, who still regard themselves as part of a great warrior tradition.

Also, there has been astronomical dread among South Africa’s tribes about the way ahead without him. Although he has been officially out of public life for 14 years; the fact that his heart still beats seems to calm the nation. But, the future of the Africa’s largest economy is posing create concern.

Poor blacks from the roughest precincts of Alexandra and Soweto townships, as well as middle-class blacks from Soweto’s fancier areas or from the still mostly white suburbs of Johannesburg, have fretted overtly about tribal conflict after Mandela.

It is obvious that Mandela has invariably played a pivotal role in brokering peace between these two major tribes. Pundits have argued that strife between these two giants can tear the country to shreds.

Meanwhile, some people are of the opinion that Madiba should be allowed to join his ancestors, stressing that keeping him alive causes him to suffer more excruciating pain.

According to reports, scores of South Africans have become resigned to Mandela’s death, whether now or very soon. They do not want him to suffer any longer. Even hard-core Afrikaner nationalists have made plain their respect and admiration for Mandela, the peacemaker, with his remarkable gift of forgiveness.

The front page of South Africa’s Sunday Times last two weeks reads; “It’s time to let him go.” The paper quoted Mandela’s longtime friend Andrew Mlangeni as saying the time may have come for South Africans to say goodbye to the iconic anti-apartheid leader.

“You have been coming to the hospital too many times. Quite clearly, you are not well and there is a possibility you might not be well again,” said Andrew Mlangeni, Mandela’s longtime friend. “Once the family releases him, the people of South Africa will follow. We will say thank you, God, you have given us this man, and we will release him too,” he concluded.

Many had feared that Mandela’s critical health condition could snooker President Barack Obama’s trip to South Africa, but on Tuesday, Zuma weathered the storm of fear and assured the world that Madiba’s ill health wouldn’t preclude Mr. Obama’s trip to the country, stressing that US President’s trip to the country is sacrosanct.

Again, there is fear that Mandela’s death can avail the South African White dwellers the opportunity to renew their quest for political dominance and control of the country. Mandela’s presence has continued to queer the efforts of the White dwellers to recapture power.

Some South Africans have not liked the foreign media clustering their “Madiba’s” hospital and his home. They have not wanted to share him because he was their freedom fighter and the Father of their Nation. His accomplishments are legendary. They have been possessive of the man who endured 27 years in prison, won South Africa’s first democratic elections and made it possible for blacks to live anywhere in their country. He created more educational opportunities for his people and made health care available to far more of them than when the Afrikaners ruled the roost.

According to reports, there is a lack of affection for current President Jacob Zuma and his ANC cronies, who have been prone to giving generous backhanders to their kin and who suffer a sense of entitlement. Zuma, for example, took $2 million from the public purse to refurbish his home. Recently, friends of the president were allowed to land a private jet at a military airfield while on their way to a wedding.

Worse yet for South Africa, there is no obvious successor to Mandela in the ANC, which is close to running a one-party state. This includes members of Mandela’s large extended family; none of them has yet come to the fore. They have been locking horns in squabbles recently over the inheritances and properties their patriarch is going to leave for them.

Aside from the potential for bloody tribal or racial conflicts and the great blight it will cast on an already fragile economy and wary investors, South Africa’s currency, the rand, which heavily depends on metals such as gold and platinum, has seriously weakened. Unemployment has been on the increase, owing to a decline in the mining business caused by slower growth in Asia.

It goes without saying that Mandela won’t live long and South Africans are contented that after suffering so much he will soon find peace. However, many are petrified of what happens after Mandela in as much as he has been the glue holding the Rainbow Nation together for 20 years.

- See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/270613/south-africa-after-mandela-what-next#sthash.LBAGHnJz.dpuf