On Wednesday afternoon work at the Flow Cape Town office came to a stop – for a very good reason. It was time for the Mother City to celebrate the life of Nelson Mandela, and some Flow staff headed to the Cape Town Stadium to be a part of the memorial event, named Nelson Mandela: A Life Celebrated. Here are five unique, personal perspectives on the experience:
Roy Barford, Cape Town manager
It’s amazing how much difference one man can make in his lifetime. While none of us can match Nelson Mandela’s greatness, there is so much we can do to better ourselves by following the example he set.
Personal highlights of the event were Vicky Sampson’s African Dream, Johnny Clegg’s Asimbonanga (sung by visitors throughout the evening and on the way home), Helen Zille’s isiXhosa singing and the reception Francois Pienaar received when he took the stage to pay tribute to Madiba.
It was an honour to assist the City of Cape Town promote and cover the event via social media. They did a fantastic job of putting such a great evening together at short notice. The event hashtag, #ctmemorial, reached more than 1.2 million people, and almost every one of the 900 people who tweeted about the event, expressed gratitude.
Riefkah Adams, intern
After a disappointing start getting shoved, pushed, and elbowed by a group of toyi-toyiers who jumped the stadium gates, the proper celebration kicked in and the experience was phenomenal. The crowd and the atmosphere was like nothing I’d seen before. There was excitement, love, and people cheering from all angles. This was our moment; South Africans represented everything Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela had fought for. Freedom, love, unity and respect. This is the monumental impact one man had on the entire world.
Nothing made me feel more proud than to be a part of that moment in history. This has been a unifying time for South Africans. All under one roof we were no colour, no religion, just thousands of people showing their love and appreciation. And while this is an emotional time, we will continue to celebrate his legacy. Viva Mandela, Viva!
Andrea Weiss, editor
Up in what the Americans call the ‘nosebleed’ seats in the Cape Town Stadium, my friend and I found ourselves sitting in the middle of a contingent from the ANC’s Women’s League in Khayelitsha. I recognised one of the women, and later learned her name was Portia Zuzani. I had heard her speak at a lunch-hour prayer service in St George’s Cathedral just a few days earlier, the day after the news broke of Mandela’s death. Portia is looking for a job as a domestic worker (I’ve got her number, folks). If you hired her I think she’d make life very interesting. She’s one feisty lady who knows the words to all the Struggle songs (and can translate them for you too).
It was pretty noisy where we were. There was also a pro-Morsi (of Egypt) demonstration going on in the background. The women tried to outsing Helen Zille when she took the podium (and, yes, there were a few boos), but the Western Cape premier won the crowd over when she too burst into song and soon everyone was on the same page. At least for a night…
I just love this moment when the women were listening to and responding to Johnny Clegg’s praise poetry:
Leanne Pohlmann, project manager
One of the most patriotic and proudly South African moments in my lifetime. It was incredible to be a part of the reflective yet festive mood within the Cape Town Stadium. Unbelievable that one person could have such a far-reaching effect on each and every one of us – long live the ubuntu spirit.
Stuart Buchanan, writer
Having witnessed the pomp and ceremony of proceedings at the FNB Stadium in Soweto the day before on television, I was glad to see that Cape Town’s celebration of Mandela’s life allowed for more song and dance. This is the way we mourn in Africa – not by being sombre and sad but through celebration and joy. And there was plenty of that. Impromptu toyi-toyis around the stadium precinct, spontaneous outbursts of Shosholoza, and all around the stands, the constant buzz of laughter and chatter. The politicians walked around among the people, forgetting petty politics for the day and instead showing a united force. When ANC Western Cape leader Marius Fransman got up to speak, a huge group of supporters next to me leapt up in appreciation. Mayor Patricia de Lille and Former Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel raised their fists in traditional Struggle salutes. And instead of a Mexican wave, the crowd broke out into a Madiba Magic wave! Taking a cue from Barack Obama, Shado Twala, the MC, snapped a selfie with Francois Pienaar after his rousing speech.
I had to leave to cover another event at the Two Oceans Aquarium, but, afterwards, as I was walking home, I passed the stadium and heard the sounds of Ladysmith Black Mambazo filling the warm evening air. All around, the streets were filled with South Africans of all colours and creeds, heading home after an emotional afternoon. It felt like a fitting farewell to a man who has changed this country more than any other. Hamba kahle, uTata Madiba.
Our Flow colleagues up north have also been covering major events relating to Mandela’s death in Pretoria and Johannesburg, and will be in Qunu this weekend. More perspectives on this historic week to follow.