News

Nelson Mandela meets with U-12 soccer team

‘We are thinking of you,’ Madiba tells young stars

27 August 2008 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

Aug 27, 2008 – Nelson Mandela today met young South African soccer champions from Bree Primary School in Mayfair, Johannesburg, ahead of their trip to France to represent South Africa.

The 15 members of the Danone Under-12 team met Mr Mandela at his offices in Johannesburg.

Women unite to accept responsibility

Malibongwe Dialogue highlights the need for women to empower one another

22 August 2008 | Category: Dialogue for Justice

Aug 22, 2008 – Women need to empower one another, to raise themselves and society as a whole. This was the message from the Malibongwe Dialogue held at the Sandton Convention Centre this morning.

Women of different ages and walks of life from all over South Africa joined together to discuss the challenges women face in the new South Africa – and ways to solve them.

Nelson Mandela statue unveiled in Cape Town

Family members gather at Groot Drakenstein Prison for ceremony

21 August 2008 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

Nelson Mandela, his family, friends and supporters, braved a downpour to witness the unveiling of a statue of him at the prison from which he was released in 1990.

The 3.2m bronze statue weighing 460kg was donated by the Sexwale Family Foundation to honour the anti-apartheid icon in his 90th year.

It stands at the entrance to Drakenstein Prison.

Nelson Mandela Foundation warns of scam

The Nelson Mandela Foundation has become aware of a scam being perpetrated in its name, and would like to warn the public

21 August 2008 |

Fraudsters appear to contact people via an online promotion informing them that they are the lucky winners of a “NMF 46664 Certificate Award” which entitles them to prize money of £100 000 and an invitation to Nelson Mandela’s 91st birthday in South Africa next year. However, in order to claim the prize, the “lucky winners” would have to pay a £450 “administration fee”.

Online exhibition marks UDF anniversary

Archivists use posters to recall formation of United Democratic Front 25 years ago

20 August 2008 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

Aug 20, 2008 – On this day in 1983, the United Democratic Front was formed to mobilise South Africans in the struggle for a democratic, united, non-racial and non-sexist country.

The UDF drew together hundreds of organisations representing “freedom-loving people” and became a vital link with the banned ANC.

Twenty-five years later, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the South African History Archive (SAHA)  have developed a virtual exhibition of struggle art and photographs of that time.

The exhibition uses archival materials to explore the vital role the UDF played in bringing democracy to South Africa, and commemorates the sacrifices made by members of the organisation, which was disbanded on August 20, 1991.

KwaLanga community conversation

Substance abuse emerges as one of the main challenges

18 August 2008 | Category: Dialogue for Justice

Aug 18, 2008 – The Nelson Mandela Foundation held another event in the series of community conversations in KwaLanga on July 24, 2008.

Substance abuse within the community emerged as one of the key challenges facing the Western Cape location.

Convening the Mandela Archive

Foundation aims to unify all resources documenting Nelson Mandela’s life and times

8 August 2008 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

August 8, 2008 – The memory resources documenting Nelson Mandela’s life and times are fragmented and geographically scattered, both within South Africa and internationally, with resources embedded in various legal and other jurisdictions.

As a result, there are multiple stakeholders in the legacy of Nelson Mandela over and above the Nelson Mandela Foundation (NMF), something that Verne Harris, Programme Manager for Memory at the NMF, thinks is crucial for people to know.

Kliptown community conversation

Kliptown residents plan a way forward

7 August 2008 |

August 8, 2008 – Despite some resistance from disaffected residents, a group gathers to learn from the past and plan a way forward

Madiba enjoys children’s cards

Laughter, joking and thanks as Mr Mandela celebrates with Foundation staff

5 August 2008 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

August 5, 2008 – Nelson Mandela took time today to view an exhibition of some of the thousands of hand-drawn 90th birthday cards sent to him by children.

He expressed his “joy” at a private celebration with staff of the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Houghton, Johannesburg.

Nelson Mandela takes cake to hospice

Sharing this gift from national sports teams, he advises children to take education seriously

4 August 2008 |

August 4, 2008 – Shortly after receiving birthday cakes from Bafana Bafana and the Springboks (the South African soccer and rugby teams) at his office today, Nelson Mandela paid a surprise visit to a hospice in Johannesburg.

Mr Mandela danced as he was welcomed with song when he walked in to the Banakekele Hospice in the suburb of Kew, near Alexandra. A group of 16 orphans who live at the hospice, part of the 37-strong staff and some of the 13 patients greeted him one at a time. After hearing from each child what they wanted to become when they grew up, he cut one of the two birthday cakes given to him earlier by the sports teams.