Nelson Mandela Memories

by VG
(Australia)

We parked at Hiddingh Hall and wandered down the Gardens to wait to see Madiba, freshly released.

He took forever to arrive. The waiting crowd became suspicious, thinking the govt might have changed its fickle mind, and there was lots of muttering and jostling that escalated into shouting and looting.

The SAP buzzed overhead in helicopters and the ground force threw some teargas before something amazing happened... people spontaneously formed human chains to restrain the unrest and protect the surrounding shops from looters.

I've heard, and believe it true, that Mandela's car was rerouted for security reasons, and got stuck in one of those impossibly narrow roads that meander the back suburbs.

Near Groote Schuur, a family had an even more awesome experience. They were out on their lawn and noticed a car wedged in the street.

After a while, a man got out: Madiba himself! He approached the parents and said, 'Would you mind if I played with your kids? It's been so long since I held a child.'

Winnie simmered in the back of the car, unmoving, with a face like thunder, while the entourage ferreted out car owners to move their vehicles, and Madiba played happily with the children, who had no idea who he was, or why their parents were so awestruck.

Myth or legend? Maybe, but what a story!

Eventually Mandela arrived at the town hall and made a speech from the steps. I didn't hear or understand a word of it, sardined in the sweaty, over-excited crowd, but I did yell, 'Amandla!' when required and went home happy to have been there.

But how I wish I had been in that narrow-street garden at the foot of the mountain.