Mandela dies at home in Johannesburg age 95

| 05/12/2013

(CNS): Nelson Mandela, the founding president of the new South Africa, has died at his home aged 95, the country’s current president Jacob Zuma has announced. In an address to the nation, Zuma said Mandela "passed away peacefully". Family had gathered at his home as the former leader had been very ill, having spent nearly three months in hospital with a lung infection. He died at his Johannesburg home at 8.50pm local time. Mandela, who led South Africa's transition from white-minority rule in the 1990s after 27 years in prison, will be given a state funeral. In the wake of the news, Cayman’s premier said it grieved his heart to have learned of the South African hero and former president’s death.

“He was one of the most beloved leaders of the 20th Century,” Alden McLaughlin said in a short statement Thursday evening. “His struggle for freedom in South Africa was tireless and it gained him the respect of the world. His compassion, humility and humanity were an inspiration not only to his country, but to many of us in the Cayman Islands who want only to make lives better for our people.

“He brought about reconciliation and hope to the people of South Africa, and while he was controversial for most of his life, he eventually became a shining light of optimism for all of us, all over the world,” he added. .

Even when he was imprisoned for 27 years at Robben Island for trying to overthrow the pro-apartheid government, he rallied prisoners and showed leadership skills that would serve him well when he became that country's first fully-representative democratically elected president, McLaughlin noted.

“We all knew that he had been ill, in and out of hospital for quite some time. But as in all deaths, expected or not, the loss is a heavy burden on our hearts. This is truly a sad day. But we as a world are in a better place for his service to his fellow man, South Africa and the world. I and the people of the Cayman Islands send our condolences not only to his family, but to the South African community as well as the Diaspora," the premier added.

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  1. Dreadlock Holmes says:

    The world has very few people we can look up to in the political arena. Most seem to be either corrupt, or stupid, or both. Mandela was not one of those and he will be remembered long after the rest have faded.

    • Anonymous says:

      He is also proof that prison works. From terrorist to statesman, an incarceration success story.

      • Anonymously says:

        Yep, prison worked in Mandela's case so sorry that Dr Verwoerd did not have a better outcome as prison would have worked wonders for him.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Hundreds of millions will die and suffer because of his failure to speak up against African political fraud and greed.  A nationalist is always likely to have misplaced priorities.

    • Anonymous says:

      Billions are dying all over the world because of the greed, injustices and mankind's failure to act. Nelson Mandela was only one man that sacrificed his youth for the better good of his country.  The native tribes of SA were condemned to a life of poverty and apartheid not because of him, however, today SA is a much just society for non whites because of him.  People like you should remember Sophia Town and The Sharpville massacre, when you do, remind yourself of what the outcome for SA  might have been had he not preached peace and reconciliation.  Madeba, thank you for being the change that you wanted for SA, as I remember that you were mortal, did not walk on water and it was impossible for you to save the the continent of Africa from political corruption, greed and injustices. Again, thank you for letting peace in Africa begin with you. The world sees you as the perfect example of peace and reconciliation.

       

      • Anonymous says:

        Whilst I agree with much of your post, the sacrifice of his youth is complete rubbish. Mandela was simply a crap revolutionist leader, he may as well just handed himself over to the authorities.  His only saving grace is that he was so appalling as a wannabe guerrilla leader he was simply arrested instead of being shot.

  3. pmilburn says:

    One of the truly great heroes of our time.Rest in Peace and may your legacy never fade away.

  4. Anonymously says:

    Thank you, Mr Mandela for leaving a legacy of tolerance and forgiveness, South Africa is much better because of you.  Your life is an inspiration……

    • Anonymous says:

      South Africa is sliding towards the mean.  Rapidly.

      • Anonymous says:

        Sorry to hear this but google "Sophia Town" and let them all remember the true legacy of Nelson Mandela and what truth and reconciliation means expecially for SA.

    • Anonymous says:

      But Zimbabwe, not so much. 

      • Anonymously says:

        Why didn't Ian Smith to effect the change for Rodesia that you wanted, maybe Mugabe would not have gotten the opportunity to change Zimbabwe so much.  

         

         

  5. Anonymous says:

    Apartheid ended because of Western economic pressure.

    • Anonymous says:

      Yeah. Us white people did it

       

      • Anonymously says:

        Yep, white people did it, please go to  Zimbabwe and do the same, thousands of you white people want to return to the bread basket of Africa. The country of their birth and the place where their ancestors migrated to from Europe in search of warmer climate or greener pastures and untold wealth.  

    • Anonymously says:

      Apartheid began because the minority of non natives in SA who immigrated there wanting to be in control of all of the wealth of the country.  The sun has set and a new day has began, I pray that the teachings of Madeba holds fast because not even Western Economic pressures can stem the tide of change.

  6. Brothers says:

    “The bravest sight in the world is to see a great man struggling against adversity.” – Lucius Annaeus Seneca.

    “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” – Nelson Mandela. — Mandela! Rest in Peace and continue to inspire until the end of times. Thank you, Mandela.

  7. Anonymous says:

    Let's not get carried away.  The problem with icons is that they are often a triumph of image over legacy.  Madela happened to be the face of a movement that was always going to succeed, the challenge to apartheid.  But his long term legacy for South Africa and Africa may well be a negative one.  He did nothing to object to the slide of democracy and rule of law once Zuma came to power and his "African solutions to African problems" mantra has left despots in power, especially but not only Mugabe, and has impeded efforts to protect the helpless elsewhere in Africa when facing genocide or starvation.  Many more Africans are worse off because of Mandela than he has helped.

    • Anonymous says:

      02.08…never write anything after a heavy nights drinking, it is unwise and leads to many regrets.

      And if you are so smart, you go sort it out. But do not diminish the acheivements of a man who had more charisma and understanding in his little finger than will ever be found in your entire body.

      • Anonymous says:

        You should never write anything ever.  Actually try writing after a heavy night's drinking, it can only improve your style.

      • Anonymous says:

        Charisma doesn't put food on the table of starving AIDS orphans in the shanty towns and it didn't stop Mugabe killing and maiming both blacks and whites in Zimbabwe. Mandela was undoubtably a man of his time and he certainly moved South Africa towards a more accountable future. But he did little to reign in his peers throughout Africa, initially failed to support AIDS victims and allowed corruption to fester within the ANC. 

        He was a man of great compassion and forgiveness, but he was a man, and he had failings. 

        As do you my friend. Just because a good man has passed, it does nobody a good service if his failings go ignored and the same mistakes are allowed to happen again. 

        And just for the record, your argument and undoubted passion is vastly diminished by throwing insults at people who recognise BOTH the positives and negatives of a passing soul.

        Mandela was a man, not a saint, he is worthy of great respect but not canonisation.

        • Anonymously says:

          Jesus was the the savior of the world and if he was unable to please man, how can Mandela a mortal man? Leave the canonization to Pope John Paul he is a better choice. Nelson Mandela – Truth and Reconciliation, end of Apartheid in South Africa.

      • Anonymous says:

        I suspect from your bland but ad hominem response you could not address the serious issues flagged up by the poster and instead just bought into the media hype.

      • Anonymous says:

        It is also unwise to make assumptions on a persons alcohol intake and to make ridiculous analogies comparing human digits to non tangible attributes of character because in effect you offer no discernable counter argument that is remotely cogent.

        • And AnotherTing says:

          It is best to ignore biased people like your good self, and just allow them to blow off steam. They are vast becoming extinct.

        • Anonymous says:

          Now now children….. Play nicely.

    • Anonymous says:

      And now we have to put up with the insufferable sight of politicians and celebrities jostling to be counted amongst Mandelas 'friends'.

      Shamefully, this wise elder statesman's funeral will be a media circus and a photo opportunity for the worlds elite, whilst poor South Africans struggle to put food on their tables or maintain a roof over their heads.

       

       

      • Anonymously says:

        This is so true thanks to Madeba, Ophra Whinfrey has made a positive contribution in education, President Bill Clinton in the fight against AIDS and many other politicians and celebrities are doing positive things in SA even though some people are still facing a life plagued with economic challenges in Africa, Cayman, Europe and the USA.  Many people in SA are better off socially, economically and politically because of Mandela, long live his legacy.

  8. Anonymous says:

    One mans freedom fighter is another mans terrorist. In this case though, this was a man with genuine remorse and a willingness to effect real change. It's just a shame that his followers are making such a mess of his hard work, exactly what has changed for the man living in Soweto?

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Remorse? For what? 

      • Anonymous says:

        Idiot, he was a political terrorist who planned to kill innocents. His remorse was in the fact that he realised that violence was never the way forward, and vengeance against his tormentors counter productive. Or doesn't that matter to you because his potential victims were white?

        He didn't subscribe to revenge or a black only SA, he wanted peace and reconciliation.

        That was Mandelas real legacy.

        • Anonymously says:

          Thanks that Mandela was less of a terrorist than Dr  Hendrik Verwoerd.  In comparison the KKK was a saint in racial segregation.

        • Anonymous says:

          You are the idiot. He was a terrorist in the same sense as the American revolutionaries were terrorists against the British. He fought fire with fire.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Mandella is greatness personified.  God bless him and may we all learn from him the values of dignity, the power of forgiveness and beauy of reconciliation.

    • Anonymous says:

      Last night on leaving the IMAC party on SMB I saw a shooting star. When i got home and saw the news, I wondered if it was Mr. Mandela's spirit taking a final look at the world he made better. Here in Cayman we would all do well to follow his example of tolerance, integration and mutual respect. God bless you Mr. Mandela.

      • Anonymous says:

        My guess is that it was almost certainly a satellite.  It might have been a shooting star, but most sightings nowadays are iin fact satellites.

        • Truthseeker says:

          Ah, satellites plod their way slowly across the sky, like high flying aircraft. Shooting stars (meteors) are streaks of light in the sky lasting a few seconds at most.  Growing up away from city lights, shooting stars are something I would expect to see almost every night with five or ten minutes of star gazing, and during one of the periodic meteor storms, dozens, even hundreds within a few hours. Why would you seek to disparage this account of a shooting star?

          Truthseeker

        • Anonymous says:

          And my guess, 12.38 is that your relationship with relevance is highly strained.

          • Anonymous says:

            I sometimes phone up relevance after midnight when I have had a few too many and want some company.  Sometimes relevance says "No", sometimes relevance says "Yes". 

      • Anonymous says:

        No, it was probably the tooth fairy