海角大神

Even as residents of Qunu in the rural Eastern Cape offered up prayers听for the health of former South African president Nelson Mandela on听Sunday, many have come to realize that they may never again see their听village鈥檚 鈥渇ather鈥� walking its dusty dirt roads, greeting and joking听with fellow residents.

As news of Mr. Mandela鈥檚 third听serious hospitalization in six months reached his home town of Qunu in听the rural Eastern Cape, residents of the village held their breath.
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In听Sunday听services throughout the village, church-goers ushered up听prayers for the elderly global icon鈥檚 health after he was admitted听to hospital in the early hours of听Saturday听in what the South African听Presidency described as 鈥渁 serious condition.鈥澨�

Despite a subsequent news alert that the Nobel Peace Prize laureate听was in 鈥渟erious but stable condition鈥� and breathing on his own, the听townsfolk remained concerned for the man they have come to regard as听their father and overwhelmingly expressed the feeling that they are not ready to face his passing.

鈥淚 am not ready听to say goodbye. We as a community are not ready. Maybe God will make a听plan and we will still be able to see him here in the village again," says Qunu resident Boniwe听Matikinca.

The Qunu Mthini Society women鈥檚 prayer group often prays for the听former statesman when they meet at a local hall each听Thursday, and they听would do so again, says resident Nomaova Habe.

鈥淲e are worried, because there is so much Madiba [as Mandela is affectionately known among Qunu residents] has done for us as听his community. He used to throw Christmas parties and give presents to听the children, and he even gave local children new school uniforms at听one stage,鈥� says Ms. Habe.
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The last time Mandela was back in his home village, where he grew up听and where his family homestead is based, was in early December.听Since then, he has been confined to life behind the high walls of his听home in the upmarket Johannesburg suburb of Houghton 鈥� a far cry from听his understated homestead in Qunu where he would spend much of his听time outside its gates conversing with the villagers, according to听longtime Qunu residents.听

Despite Qunu residents鈥� wish to see their beloved 鈥渇ather鈥� once again,听the reality is looking increasingly unlikely.

鈥淗is family don鈥檛 want him to stay here. They would rather he be up听in Johannesburg where there are good hospitals. The thing is, he loved听to be here at home,鈥� says Gloria Habe, formerly Gloria Mandela and the granddaughter of Mandela鈥檚 half-brother, Solomon.

Mandela has become increasingly frail in recent years. He was last听seen in public during the opening ceremony of the 2010 Fifa Soccer听World Cup, and even then he did not give a public speech.听Recent television footage, featuring President听Jacob Zuma smiling as he sat next to a frail-looking, unsmiling听Mandela, sparked a public outcry and claims that听the anti-apartheid icon was being used as political currency despite听his poor health.

A military plan is in place for听protocol following Mandela鈥檚 death, 听including specifics about his听body lying in state at the Union Buildings in Pretoria before being听flown to the Eastern Cape and buried at his Qunu home.

The youth in Qunu have grown up proud of the fact that the global icon听resides just a stone's throw away. Despite many dwelling in mud huts 鈥撎齭ome without access to electricity or running water 鈥� the topic of听Mandela sees their faces light up as many recall meeting the former South African dissident-turned-president.

鈥淚 am so grateful to have been born in this famous village,鈥� says student Lungile Xozwa. "He has done a great job in this听village and the world."