Tribute by President Jacob Zuma delivered at the memorial service in honour of former president Nelson Mandela FNB Stadium,

Johannesburg ! "ecember #! $

Mama Graca Machel and the entire Mandela family and the abaThembu clan, Excellencies Heads of State and Government, Excellencies Former Heads of State and Government, Deputy Presidents and representatives of overnments, Heads of international or anisations in all re ions of the !orld, The leadership of the "#$ and "lliance partners, %eaders of fraternal political or anisations in "frica and abroad, "ctivists of the former anti&apartheid Movement, Eminent persons, friends of South "frica from all over the !orld, Fello! South "fricans,

Sanibonani' Good day' Mol!eni'

South "fricans sin a popular freedom son about former President #elson Mandela( )e sin that he is one of a *ind, that there is no one +uite li*e him( Nelson Mandela, Nelson Mandela akekho ofana naye. The son is one of the most accurate descriptions of this lobal icon !ho is the foundin President of a free and democratic South "frica and also the former President of the oldest liberation movement in the continent, the "#$( His passin has mar*ed an unprecedented outpourin of rief across the !orld( ,et, it is rief, tin ed !ith admiration and celebration( Everyone has had a Mandela moment, !hen this !orld icon has touched their lives( %et me be in therefore, by than*in all the Heads of State and Government and international dele ations present here today( )e also extend our deepest ratitude for the messa es of condolence that !e continue to receive( The Mandela family, the South "frican people and the "frican continent as a !hole, feel stron er today, because !e are bein comforted by millions throu hout the !orld( Dear South "fricans, That !e are Madiba-s compatriots and have lived durin his time, is a cause for a reat celebration and enormous pride( #ever before has our country celebrated a life as !e are doin !ith that of Madiba( )e do not call Madiba the father of our rainbo! nation merely for political correctness and relevance( )e do so because he laid a firm foundation for the South "frica of our dreams . one that is united, non&racial, non&sexist, democratic and prosperous(

)e do so because Madiba !as a coura eous leader(

$oura eous leaders are able to abandon their narro! concerns for bi embracin dreams, even if those dreams come at a hu e price(

er and all&

Madiba embodied this trait( He !as a fearless freedom fi hter !ho refused to allo! the brutality of the apartheid state to stand in the !ay of the stru people( /ein a la!yer, he understood the possible conse+uences of his actions( /ut he also *ne! that no un0ust system could last forever( He said at an "#$ ,outh %ea ue conference in 12314 True, the struggle will be a bitter one. Leaders will be deported, imprisoned, and even shot. The government will terrorise the people and their leaders in an effort to halt the forward march; ordinary forms of organisation will be rendered impossible. ut the spirit of the people cannot be crushed!until full victory is won". The stru le became Madiba-s life( le for the liberation of his

He !as at the forefront of the radical chan e in the "#$ in the 1256s, advancin the lon !al* to freedom( He became a 7olunteer in $hief durin the Defiance $ampai n in the early 1236s and became the first $ommander in $hief of the "#$-s armed !in , 8m*honto )e Si9!e, in the early 12:6s( He paid dearly for his beliefs and actions throu h imprisonment( #e stated in $%&'; ( was made, by the law, a criminal, not because of what ( had done, but because of what ( stood for, because of what ( thought, because of my conscience."

"rrested and sentenced to life imprisonment durin the ;ivonia Trial later in 12:5, he never lost his fi htin spirit( For <= years, the South "frican people spo*e about him in hushed tones, out of fear( >n fact, if the apartheid overnment had its !ay, they !ould have been banned even from thin*in about Madiba( /ut the po!erful name of #elson Mandela lived on( He continued to inspire our people every sin le day, from inside prison !alls( He demonstrated uni+ue leadership in startin ne otiations !ith the enemy !hilst in prison( He also ne otiated for the release of his fello! political prisoners first before his o!n release( His release from 7ictor 7erster prison on the 11th of February 1226 !as one of the most remar*able and movin moments in !orld history( The !orld came to a standstill !atchin this tall imposin fi ure !al*in out into a !orld he had left behind <= years before( The emotions and feelin s !e felt on that day are difficult to express in human lan ua e( " do!ntrodden people !ho had been dehumanised and made to feel li*e pariahs in the land of their birth, suddenly sa! si ns that freedom !ould be attained in their lifetime( South "frica needed a leader li*e Madiba to help us throu h a difficult transition from apartheid to a free democratic society( >n the bumpy road to our historic first free and fair elections, there are many times that he brou ht our nation bac* from the brin* of catastrophe(

The massacre at /oipaton in 122< and the *illin of the popular leader of our people, $hris Hani in 122?, are some of the occasions !hen our country faltered in its lon !al* to freedom, !hen !e stared into the heart of dar*ness( >t is at these times that Madiba restored a sense of calm and purpose and brou ht us bac* on the road to freedom( South "frica-s first democratic elections !ere lar ely peaceful because of this leadership that he displayed( >ndeed, there is no one li*e Madiba( He !as one of a *ind( Today, on >nternational Human ;i hts Day, !e celebrate Madiba the man of peace( Today is the <6th anniversary of his bein a!arded the #obel Peace Pri9e, on the 16 th of December 122?( This freedom fi hter had al!ays stated that the "#$ had resorted to arms because of the intransi ence of the apartheid re ime !hich responded !ith violence, bannin s and detentions to simple demands for e+ual citi9enship, human ri hts and 0ustice( To him, for South "frica to attain peace, the armed stru means to an end but not an end in itself( Madiba-s love for peace !as also evident in the !or* he did in the continent( The people of /urundi en0oy peace and democracy today because of the seeds of peace planted by Madiba( Follo!in the historic national elections on <= "pril 1225, an unprecedented number of Heads of State and Government and eminent persons from around the !orld descended upon our shores for Madiba-s inau uration as the first president of a free and democratic South "frica( Today, the !hole !orld is standin still a ain, to pay tribute to this reatest son of South "frica and "frica( Fello! mourners, le !as inevitable, but it !as a

There is no one li*e Madiba, he !as one of a *ind(

The !orld spea*s fondly of Madiba-s promotion of unity, reconciliation and non&racialism durin his Presidency( He had declared as follo!s durin trial in 12:54 The )N* has spent half a century fighting against racialism. +hen it triumphs it will not change that policy,,. Thus his promotion of non&racialism and reconciliation durin his tenure as President of the ;epublic !as not surprisin ( $ompatriots and friends Spea*in at the adoption of a ne! $onstitution of the ;epublic adopted in 122:, Madiba outlined the vision of the ne! society( He said4 Let us give practical recognition to the in-ustices of the past, by building a future based on e.uality and social -ustice. Let us nurture our national unity by recogni/ing, with respect and -oy, the languages, cultures and religions of 0outh )frica in all their diversity. Let tolerance for one another,s views create the peaceful conditions which give space for the best in all of us to find e1pression and to flourish. )bove all, let us work together in striving to banish homelessness, illiteracy, hunger and disease." )ith the ma nitude of challen es facin the youn South "frica in mind, Madiba set about unitin the nation( He carefully mana ed the an er and frustrations of both the oppressors and the oppressed, and reminded us of our common humanity that transcended racial boundaries(

He also mana ed both the fears of the minority and the hi h expectations and impatience of the ma0ority( He told us that the promises of democracy !ould not be met overni ht and that the fears of the fe! !ould not be allo!ed to derail the ne!ly !on freedom( )e all a reed !ith him, as Madiba never hesitated to spea* his mind !hen it !as necessary to do so, re ardless of ho! uncomfortable the !ords may be to recipients' Many leaders, some of !hom are present here today, have experienced his sharp ton ue( ;ealisin the po!er of sport to con+uer pre0udice, former President Mandela embraced South "frica-s 1223 ;u by )orld $up ambitions, donnin the Sprin bo* 0ersey at a time !hen it !as much&mali ned by the ma0ority of the population( This !ould be a hallmar* of his Presidency( @ur sports teams yearned for the Madiba Ma ic that his visit !ould brin , each time they faced formidable opponents( /eyond promotin reconciliation, Madiba also laid a firm foundation for transformation as !ell as reconstruction and development( He *ne! that reconciliation !ithout transformation and reconstruction, !ould be meanin less( 8nder his leadership, the ne! democratically elected overnment focused on addressin historical in0ustices and creatin ne! institutions to facilitate the buildin of a democratic society based on the principles of non&racialism and non&sexism( $lose to A66 racist apartheid la!s !ere removed from the statute boo*s in the first 16 years of democracy( The dismantlin of the le al frame!or* of apartheid and transformation of many state institutions led to the visible improvement of the socio&economic conditions of millions of people(

Thus, Madiba laid a foundation for a better life for all, !hich !as the rallyin cry of his Presidency( Madiba also laid the foundation for our country-s no! successful fi ht a ainst one of the reatest scour es of our time, that of H>7 and ">DS, !hile still in office and durin his retirement( The lobal 5 ::: 5 campai n ave birth to Mandela Day, a lobal call to action, mobilisin people to spend at least := minutes helpin those in need( >n #ovember <662, the 8nited #ations General "ssembly declared the 1A th of Buly as 2Nelson Mandela (nternational 3ay". Each year on the 1Ath of Buly, the !orld comes to ether to celebrate Mandela Day, reco nisin Madiba-s selfless sacrifice in betterment of others( >ndeed, Madiba !as one of a *ind( /antu base#in i9imu "frica, Silahle*el!e *a*hulu n obaba !esi9!e uTata uMadiba( Siya9i benimthanda *a*hulu, futhi nisamthanda *a*hulu naman0e( %eli+ha!e liyibe*ile indu*u ebandla( Si*humbula namhlan0e leli7olontiya eli*hulu li*aChon olose( Si*humbula um*hu9i !o*u+ala !amabutho oM*honto !eSi9!e( Si*humbula i+ha!e elali9imisele n isho no*ufa imbala, u*u9e abantu abamnyama bathole in*ulule*o( Si*humbula i+ha!e elal!ela u*uthi abantu base#in i9imu "frica baphile n ento*o9o e9!eni elin ena*ho u*!esaba, elin enanhluphe*o nalapho abantu belin ana bon*e *hona( ,in a*ho n0e sithi a*e*ho ofana no&Tata uMadiba(

$ompatriots and friends, )hile sayin Madiba !as one of a *ind, !e also remember that he believed in collective leadership and that he never !anted to be vie!ed as a messiah or a saint( He emphasised that all his achievements !ere derived from !or*in !ith the "#$ collective, amon !hom in his o!n !ords, !ere men and !omen !ho !ere more capable than he !as( Thus, the South "frica that you see today, is a reflection of Madiba and many others li*e him, !ho sacrificed their lives for a free nation( )e thus remain truly rateful to his peers, )alter Sisulu, @liver ;e inald Tambo, Govan Mbe*i, ;aymond Mhlaba, Dorothy #yembe, Florence Mophosho and countless others !ho left indelible mar*s in the history of our stru $ompatriots and friends, Today Madiba is no more( He leaves behind a nation that loves him dearly( He leaves a continent that is truly proud to call him an "frican( He leaves the people of the !orld !ho embraced him as their beloved icon( Most importantly, he leaves behind a deeply entrenched le acy of freedom, human ri hts and democracy in our country( >n his honour !e commit ourselves to continue buildin a nation based on the democratic values of human di nity, e+uality and freedom( 8nited in our diversity, !e !ill continue !or*in to build a nation free of poverty, hun er, homelessness and ine+uality( "s the "frican continent led by the "frican 8nion, !e !ill continue !or*in to fulfil his desire for a better "frica and a more 0ust, peaceful and e+uitable !orld( le(

Tomorro!, our people !ill accompany Madiba on his last 0ourney to the seat of overnment, the 8nion /uildin s in Pretoria, !here his body !ill lie in state for three days(

> have the honour today, to announce, that the 8nion /uildin s "mphitheatre, !here Madiba !as inau urated as President in 1225, and !here his body !ill lie in state, !ill, !ith effect from today, be called the #elson Mandela "mphitheatre( This is a fittin tribute to a man !ho transformed the 8nion /uildin s from a symbol of racism and repression to one of peace, unity, democracy and pro ress( $ompatriots, comrades and friends, )e extend yet a ain, our deepest condolences to Mama Graca Machel, Mama )innie Madi*i9ela&Mandela, the children, randchildren, reat& randchildren and the entire extended family( Madiba has run a ood race( He declared in his o!n !ords in 12254 #e said; 3eath is something inevitable. +hen a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace. ( believe ( have made that effort and that is, therefore, why ( will sleep for eternity." > than* you( Issued by The Presidency Pretoria