News

Official birthday programme full

90th celebrations event calendar finalised

12 May 2008 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

May 12, 2008 – The Nelson Mandela Foundation and its sister organisations appreciate that the whole world wants to demonstrate its love and support for Nelson Mandela in this his 90th year.

We have to announce, however, that our official programme of celebrations for our Founder’s 90th birthday is now full. We have been inundated with requests to endorse various events to mark Madiba’s 90th birthday but we cannot, unfortunately, entertain any more such proposals.

Pensioners visit Nelson Mandela Foundation

Happy Birthday wishes for Madiba

9 May 2008 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

May 9, 2008 – “We’re so excited to be here!” enthused pensioner Martha Naidoo, who visited the Nelson Mandela Foundation on May 8 with other residents of Dewetshof Retirement Village in Johannesburg.

The group of about 50 pensioners was accompanied by Hilda Mkhwanazi, of the City of Johannesburg, and Top Billing presenter and businesswoman Basetsana ‘Bassie’ Kumalo.

Pensioners wish Madiba happy birthday

Foundation accepts birthday card filled with messages

8 May 2008 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

May 8, 2008 – Nelson Mandela received one of his first 90th birthday cards today.

Residents of Dewetshof Retirement Village in Johannesburg visited the Nelson Mandela Foundation today to present a signed card to Foundation CEO Achmat Dangor, who received their well wishes on behalf of Mr Mandela.

Tickets to 46664 concert

Tickets for the event in Hyde Park, London go on sale on May 9

8 May 2008 |

May 8, 2008 – The 46664 concert to honour Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday will be staged on June 27, 2008, at Hyde Park in London. Tickets will go on sale to the public from May 9.

Please note that accommodation for guests is very limited. Tickets to the Tribune grandstand have been allocated on a priority basis to concert sponsors, donors and members of Mr Mandela’s family.

Nelson Mandela to attend 46664 London concert

World-renowned artists to honour Madiba’s 90th birthday

6 May 2008 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

May 6, 2008 – Many of the world’s most powerful and instantly recognisable figures and a concert audience numbering 46 664 will pay their tributes to one of the world’s most loved leaders, Nelson Mandela, as he turns 90 later this year. 

In Conversation With Makaziwe Mandela

The Nelson Mandela Foundation speaks to Dr Makaziwe Mandela, Nelson Mandela’s daughter from his first marriage

26 April 2008 | Category: Dialogue for Justice

April 25, 2008 – In the third of our “In Conversation With” series to commemorate Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday, Tara Turkington interviews Dr Makaziwe Mandela, daughter of Nelson Mandela and Evelyn Mase.

Bram Fischer: a hero born 100 years ago

Turning his back on an easy life, he followed his conscience with courage and sacrifice

23 April 2008 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

April 23, 2008 – Abraham “Bram” Fischer, who was born on April 23, 1908 into the Afrikaner establishment, is remembered, 100 years later, as a hero in the struggle against apartheid.

He eschewed the privileges of the elite environment he grew up in and which guaranteed him a top position in the apartheid firmament. Instead, he turned his loyalty to the fight for democracy in South Africa.

Foundation receives 1962 Mandela photos

Pictures show Mandela visiting Tambo family at home in London, after trip through Africa

21 April 2008 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

April 21, 2008 – At the conclusion of the Treason Trial in early 1961, the ANC decided that Nelson Mandela would go underground. About nine months later, on January 11, 1962, he left South Africa, without a passport, via what was then Bechuanaland, on his way to attend a meeting of the Pan-African Freedom Movement for East, Central and Southern Africa (PAFMECSA) in Ethiopia.

After five months of travelling and many meetings with African heads of state and others, Mr Mandela and his long-time comrade Oliver (OR) Tambo flew to London (on BOAC, as he notes in his diary) on Thursday, June 7, 1962.

A fresh look at the future of AIDS

A new initiative, aids2031, meets to discuss what is driving the epidemic in Southern Africa

17 April 2008 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory, Dialogue for Justice

April 17, 2008 – The year 2031 will mark the passage of 50 years from the first report of AIDS, and an international consortium of partners called aids2031 has been formed to look at what can be done now to change the face of the pandemic by that time.

The number of people living with HIV continues to rise despite all the interventions of the past 25 years. For every one person who gets treatment, there are three to four new infections. Some countries considered to be early “success” stories are starting to see new increases in HIV.

Resources in record time

Foundation officer shares document management expertise at conference

17 April 2008 | Category: Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory

April 16, 2008 – What do hummingbirds and records management have in common?

Here’s how: Hummingbirds quickly extract the rich nutrients they need while on the move. Similarly, the best records management systems are able to extract the necessary resources while the organisation continues its work.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation uses an electronic document and records management system called Hummingbird to manage the documents generated by the organisation daily.