Home Special Features Nelson Mandela ‘South Africa’s Greatest Son’: Nelson Mandela Goes Home In State Funeral (PHOTOS)

‘South Africa’s Greatest Son’: Nelson Mandela Goes Home In State Funeral (PHOTOS)

By Idoreyin Sampson | Sub-Editor on December 15, 2013

Madiba Funeral The Trent 4 — Winnie Mandela (left), ex-wife of former South African President, and Graca Macel, widow of Mandela, wipe away tears as his flag-draped coffin arrives at the Mthata airport

Coming home: A parade of servicemen lead the casket to the funeral

Final goodbye: The flag-draped casket of South Africa's first black president arrives in Mandela's village — Final goodbye: The flag-draped casket of South Africa’s first black president arrives in Mandela’s village

Final goodbye: The flag-draped casket of South Africa's first black president arrives in Mandela's village — Final goodbye: The flag-draped casket of South Africa’s first black president arrives in Mandela’s village

Tradition: Mandela's casket, covered in the nation's flag, was placed on a cattle skin as the service combined elements of traditional and state funerals — Tradition: Mandela’s casket, covered in the nation’s flag, was placed on a cattle skin as the service combined elements of traditional and state funerals

Mourners: US talk show host Oprah Winfrey, centre, her husband Stedman Graham, left, and English businessman Richard Branson, right, watching the funeral service

Traditional: Mandla Mandela right, grandson of former South African president Nelson Mandela, during his grandfather's funeral — Traditional: Mandla Mandela right, grandson of former South African president Nelson Mandela, during his grandfather’s funeral

His former wife Winnie Mandela

Mandela's widow Graca Machel, — Mandela’s widow Graca Machel,

Dignitaries: Anti-apartheid activist and friend Ahmed Kathrada, right, with former South Africa president Thabo Mbeki

Support: African National Congress supporters chant before the start of the funeral

State funeral: Mandela's coffin is carried into the white tent for the service — State funeral: Mandela’s coffin is carried into the white tent for the service

Dignitaries: Prince Charles, right, arrives for the state funeral on Sunday

Honor: A gun salute is fired as the funeral procession nears the Mandela family compound

Respect: Candles are lit under a portrait of Nelson Mandela before his funeral. One for every year of his life

Display: The coffin of former South African President Nelson Mandela is seen draped in a South African national flag during his funeral in his ancestral village of Qunu

Full military honours: Fighter jets escort the military plane carrying the coffin of former South African President Nelson Mandela as it is flown to Mandela's home in the village of Qunu, Eastern Cape — Full military honours: Fighter jets escort the military plane carrying the coffin of former South African President Nelson Mandela as it is flown to Mandela’s home in the village of Qunu, Eastern Cape

A celebration of life: Mourners sing, wave their national flag and hold up posters of Mandela as they wait for his funeral cortège to appear

Crowds of mourners cheer as they await the motorcade: Mandela languished in jail for 27 years for his opposition to the racist apartheid regime. Freed in 1990, he emerged to forge a new democratic South Africa by promoting forgiveness and reconciliation

Figurehead: A South African mourner embraces a poster of Mandela, while waiting with other mourners for the motorcade transporting the body of the former president to pass by in the town of Mthatha. Right, Khanyile Diko cheers while wearing a T-shirt depicting the liberation hero as a scarf around his neck

Figurehead: A South African mourner embraces a poster of Mandela, while waiting with other mourners for the motorcade transporting the body of the former president to pass by in the town of Mthatha. Right, Khanyile Diko cheers while wearing a T-shirt depicting the liberation hero as a scarf around his neck

Paying respects: Thousands of mourners line the streets of Umthatha as the enormous convoy of police, military and other vehicles sweeps through their town

High security: Soldiers in full combat gear, male and female, were stationed on foot on either side of the road from the airport in Mthatha

Patriotism: South African mourners wave and cheer as the hearse transporting the flag-draped casket containing the body of Mandela as it passes through the town of Mthatha

Africa: Young women dance by the roadside in the small village of Queque, near Qunu, as they wait to watch the funeral procession to sweep by

'Long live the spirit of Nelson Mandela': The crowds chanted old songs and slogans from the anti-apartheid struggle as they watched the body of Mandela roll past — ‘Long live the spirit of Nelson Mandela’: The crowds chanted old songs and slogans from the anti-apartheid struggle as they watched the body of Mandela roll past

Loved by the people: The motorcade transporting Mandela's body passes through crowds of mourners gathered in the town of Mthatha on its way to Qunu — Loved by the people: The motorcade transporting Mandela’s body passes through crowds of mourners gathered in the town of Mthatha on its way to Qunu

Locals cheers as Mandela arrives: Iit was escorted by an enormous convoy of police, military and other vehicles, many flashing emergency lights, arriving at about 4pm local time after going past cheering crowds who had lined the route to pay their respects

A last look at the father of the nation: Locals take photographs as Mandela's hearse nears Qunu, a small hamlet in South Africa's Eastern Cape province where Mandela grew up — A last look at the father of the nation: Locals take photographs as Mandela’s hearse nears Qunu, a small hamlet in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province where Mandela grew up

Women hold ANC flags and banners as the long convoy bringing Mandela's body home finally arrives in Qunu — Women hold ANC flags and banners as the long convoy bringing Mandela’s body home finally arrives in Qunu

A military guard of honour stands to attention at the Mandela family's homestead in Qunu. Mandela, the revered icon of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and one of the towering political figures of the 20th century, died in Johannesburg on December 5 at age 95 — A military guard of honour stands to attention at the Mandela family’s homestead in Qunu. Mandela, the revered icon of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and one of the towering political figures of the 20th century, died in Johannesburg on December 5 at age 95

Tradition: Mandela's grandson Mandla Mandela, right, watches as local chiefs escort the lion skin draped casket of former South African President as it arrives at the Mandela residence in Qunu — Tradition: Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela, right, watches as local chiefs escort the lion skin draped casket of former South African President as it arrives at the Mandela residence in Qunu

Winnie Mandela (left), ex-wife of former South African President, and Graca Macel, widow of Mandela, wipe away tears as his flag-draped coffin arrives at the Mthata airport

Journey's end: The hearse carrying the coffin of former South African president Nelson Mandela passes by the tent dome set up in Qunu for his funeral — Journey’s end: The hearse carrying the coffin of former South African president Nelson Mandela passes by the tent dome set up in Qunu for his funeral

Home at last: Military officers and Nelson Mandela's grandson Mandla Mandela, rear, accompany the casket of the former South African President as it arrives in Qunu — Home at last: Military officers and Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela, rear, accompany the casket of the former South African President as it arrives in Qunu

Tribute: A military officer places the framed flag of South Africa on top of Mandela's coffin — Tribute: A military officer places the framed flag of South Africa on top of Mandela’s coffin

Sombre: South Africa's current president Jacob Zuma sitting between Winnie Mandela and Graca Machel — Sombre: South Africa’s current president Jacob Zuma sitting between Winnie Mandela and Graca Machel

Tears: The former president's daughter Zindzi comforts another mourner — Tears: The former president’s daughter Zindzi comforts another mourner

Moved: Mandela's daughter Makaziwe, centre, sits in front of her father's coffin during the ceremony — Moved: Mandela’s daughter Makaziwe, centre, sits in front of her father’s coffin during the ceremony

Speech: Joyce Banda, the president of Malawi, was one of many African leaders to pay tribute to Mandela at the service

Embrace: Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who initially claimed he had not been invited to the funeral, hugs former president Thabo Mbeki

Gathered to remember Madiba: South Africa's president Jacob Zuma (2nd left), Mandela's ex-wife Winnie Mandela (left), and the widow of Mandela, Graca Machel (3rd left), sit by his coffin — Gathered to remember Madiba: South Africa’s president Jacob Zuma (2nd left), Mandela’s ex-wife Winnie Mandela (left), and the widow of Mandela, Graca Machel (3rd left), sit by his coffin

Final journey: The coffin carrying former South African President Nelson Mandela is escorted into his state funeral service in Qunu this morning

Praise: President Jacob Zuma said that Mandela was 'a fountain of wisdom, a pillar of strength and a beacon of hope' — Praise: President Jacob Zuma said that Mandela was ‘a fountain of wisdom, a pillar of strength and a beacon of hope’

Eulogy: Mandela's granddaughter Nand takes to the podium to pay her tributes to the leader Eulogy: Mandela's granddaughter Nand takes to the podium to pay her tributes to the leader — Eulogy: Mandela’s granddaughter Nand takes to the podium to pay her tributes to the leader
Eulogy: Mandela’s granddaughter Nand takes to the podium to pay her tributes to the leader

Stage: The speakers delivered their addresses in front of 95 candles, representing every year of Mandela's life — Stage: The speakers delivered their addresses in front of 95 candles, representing every year of Mandela’s life

Final journey: The coffin of former South African President Nelson Mandela is carried by military personnel at the end of his funeral service in his ancestral village of Qunu in the Eastern Cape

Burial: The military carry Mandela's body along the pathway to the area where South Africa's beloved son's burial site in Quno — Burial: The military carry Mandela’s body along the pathway to the area where South Africa’s beloved son’s burial site in Quno

A nation in mourning: Three helicopters carrying South African flags fly over the burial site today as a much smaller crowd of mourners watched the great statesman laid to rest after ten days of official mourning

Special tribute: The South African air force fly over Mandela's grave in the hills of Qunu where he grew up, which was accompanied by a 21-gun salute — Special tribute: The South African air force fly over Mandela’s grave in the hills of Qunu where he grew up, which was accompanied by a 21-gun salute

United in grief: Mandela's widow Graca Michel and his ex-wife Winnie Mandela tearfully comforted one another as they sat next to president Jacob Zuma and Mandela's grandson Mandla as he was laid to rest — United in grief: Mandela’s widow Graca Michel and his ex-wife Winnie Mandela tearfully comforted one another as they sat next to president Jacob Zuma and Mandela’s grandson Mandla as he was laid to rest

Poignant: Nelson Mandela's coffin was carried to his grave and then the flag of the country he loved so ardently was removed and handed to his widow Graca Machel — Poignant: Nelson Mandela’s coffin was carried to his grave and then the flag of the country he loved so ardently was removed and handed to his widow Graca Machel

Goodbye to an icon: Nelson Mandela's coffin is slowly lowered into the ground in the hills close to where he grew up at the small, private burial today in Qunu as military salute and mourners watch the poignant moment — Goodbye to an icon: Nelson Mandela’s coffin is slowly lowered into the ground in the hills close to where he grew up at the small, private burial today in Qunu as military salute and mourners watch the poignant moment

1 COMMENT

Ben Edem Dec 15, 2013 at 8:41 pm

The greatest son of Africa is gone, he was an example of selfless service to his people. Do we still have such a man in Africa?

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