Nelson mandela

Saturday

Melanie McDonagh

Jimmy Carter talks sense about the late Nelson Mandela

From our UK edition

Rod Liddle’s observation about the death of Nelson Mandela, cut off, alas, at the age of 95, hardly needs supplementing but I was struck by one aspect of the blanket coverage, viz, its quasi-religious character. The Mirror, the day after the sad event, observed that Mr Mandela was as near as we get in this fallen world to a saint. And this morning, the Today programme brought the thing to its logical conclusion when one presenter, Justin Webb posed the question (1.15): given the moral example of Nelson Mandela, 'why is the world not a better place?' So it was over for an answer to former US president Jimmy Carter, a member of a group known as the Elders, who travel the world to spread the Mandela message. This was the question: 'Some people have compared Nelson Mandela with Jesus.

Friday

Alex Massie

Nelson Mandela gave us the greatest gift of all: Hope

From our UK edition

Sometimes when a significant public figure dies, even, perhaps especially, when that death comes as no surprise and may, indeed, be considered some form of release there is a natural tendency to wonder if the blanket media coverage that invariably follows is altogether appropriate or even seemly. Is it not all too much? A man is merely a man; a woman merely a woman. Sometimes too, it is natural to react to the endless parade of tributes and wonder how genuine they really are. Is there not something vainglorious about them? Is there not something a little ridiculous about all these attempts to cling to the coat-tails of greatness? Perhaps sometimes there is. But not tonight. For more than two hours now I have been watching the coverage of the news of Nelson Mandela's death.

The Spectator

In pictures: Nelson Mandela, 1918-2013

From our UK edition

Adopting a boxing pose in 1950. Speaking in the early 1960s. After being sentenced to life imprisonment in the Rivonia trial, Mandela and seven other men leave the Palace of Justice in Pretoria 16 June 1964 with their fists raised in defiance through the barred windows of the prison car. Mandela and his wife Winnie raise their fists on his release from Victor Vester prison on 11 February, 1990. Mandela and South African President Frederik de Klerk with their Nobel Peace Prizes in 1993. Visiting his former Robben Island prison cell in 1995. Mandela congratulates François Pienaar after South Africa's victory in the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Celebrating his 90th birthday in 2008. With Bill Clinton on the eve of his 94th birthday in July 2012.

Andrew Kenny

Nelson Mandela: South Africa’s Churchill

From our UK edition

Like Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela had one shining hour that eclipsed everything else and made the world better. Nelson Mandela belongs to a very rare class of great men.  Such men are remembered not only for their great deeds, not only for making our world better, but for bearing a special grace that transcends the business of their age.  They are the stuff of folklore. In the 20th century I can think of only two examples: Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. But even Gandhi was susceptible to pious humbug. ‘It takes a lot of money to keep Gandhi in poverty,’ said one of his advisers. Mandela was never seduced by the grandeur of humbleness. Among men who attained power, he is probably unique in the past hundred years.

Thursday

The Spectator

David Cameron and Ed Miliband pay tribute to Nelson Mandela

From our UK edition

Downing Street has released the following statement from David Cameron: 'A great light has gone out in the world. Nelson Mandela was a towering figure in our time; a legend in life and now in death - a true global hero. Across the country he loved they will be mourning a man who was the embodiment of grace. Meeting him was one of the great honours of my life. My heart goes out to his family - and to all in South Africa and around the world whose lives were changed through his courage.' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAhoNzs2zKg Ed Miliband has also released a statement on the death of Nelson Mandela: 'The world has lost the inspirational figure of our age. 'Nelson Mandela taught people across the globe the true meaning of courage, strength, hope and reconciliation.

Richard Stengel

Nelson Mandela: The man and the mask

From our UK edition

South Africa's first black president Nelson Mandela has died aged 95 this evening. From The Spectator's archive, here is a personal account of Nelson Mandela's character from November 1994. Richard Stengel collaborated with Mandela on his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. Nelson Mandela loves newspapers. He reads them slowly, studying each article, turning the page with unhurried precision. On Robben Island, newspapers were denied him and he still savours them. For most of our flight down to Natal, Mandela was absorbed in the weekend Johannesburg Star. I sat across from him in a cramped and aged four-seat propeller plane. It was April of 1993, and I had been in South Africa for the previous five months working with him on his autobiography.

Rod Liddle

Nelson Mandela dies, aged 95

From our UK edition

Look; I’m sorry Nelson Mandela is dead. It happens quite often to people in their 90s who have been very ill, even famous people, but I’m sure that doesn’t lessen the sadness for many of us. I never met the man but, on balance, I came to the conclusion that he was a force for good rather than ill. I think I came to that rather banal and broad brush conclusion twenty years ago, or maybe fifteen. So, I’m sorry he’s dead, I wish it were otherwise. But for Christ’s sake BBC, give it a bloody break for five minutes, will you? It’s as if the poor bugger now has to bear your entire self-flagellating white post-colonial bien pensant guilt; look! Famous nice black man dies! Let’s re-run the entire history of South Africa.

Thursday

Rian Malan

The world’s media are waiting for Mandela to die. Here’s why he’s disappointing them

From our UK edition

 Johannesburg It was day 19 of the Nelson Mandela death watch, and my char, Mrs Gladys Dhladhla, had brought her grandson to work with her. Mlungisi is a stout little chap, 14 years old and bent on becoming a professional rugby player. His granny was counting on me to broaden his mind so Mlungisi and I drove to Mandela’s home in the suburb of Houghton and spent an hour or so chatting to the international TV crews camped on the sidewalk outside. One technician told us he’d been there since 8 June, the day the old man was admitted to hospital with a lung infection that was expected to be fatal. Nearly three weeks later, he was still refusing to die.

Wednesday

Rian Malan

The vultures waiting for Nelson Mandela’s death

From our UK edition

Johannesburg I just called my pal Colin, a TV news cameraman who has been parked for days outside the Pretoria hospital where Nelson Mandela is being treated. I said, can you please tell me when the old man is going to die so that I can sort out some deadlines with the Spectator? He said, sorry, nobody here knows anything. Then we started talking about how much this is costing world media, especially the American TV networks. Colin is under contract to one such network. Three years ago, the Americans hired two flats overlooking Pretoria's Union Buildings and 'filled them with millions of bucks' worth of gear' in preparation for the funeral that never happens.

Monday

Rod Liddle

Prepare to be bored

From our UK edition

Something very odd is going to happen in your newspapers and on your television screens, perhaps this week, perhaps not. Soon, anyway. It looks likely that poor old Nelson Mandela is on his last legs and will very soon expire. As soon as he does, just you watch. You will hear of nothing else for days. Your morning newspaper, if you still get one, will have a vast pull-out commemorating the man’s life and achievements (all of which you know about). There will be think pieces, stuff by his friends, stuff by his enemies, stuff by people he patted on the head while visiting Brixton.