MTHATHA — While some events of the mourning period following the death of Nelson Mandela have been public, his burial on Sunday will be more private and in line with traditional Xhosa customs and ritual, which include the full participation of family and clan members.
According to former Eastern Cape premier Nosimo Balindlela: "It is wonderful to see all these people working to honour Tata as he brought us liberation in so many ways. I hope they (the people) leave a little of themselves with us and take something of us with them."
Ms Balindledla is married into the Madiba clan and so she will be involved in the preparations within the family home for the next four days. She says this will include anything to alleviate burdens on direct family members, from making sure fires are burning to making food for workers and guests.
"I will sleep when and where I can. In terms of the tradition my comfort is not important, it is the comfort of the family and guests.
"I have brought my own mattress and blankets that I will lay wherever is possible and I have brought my own Pro-Vita biscuits and yogurt."
Ms Balindlela is dressed in what she terms traditional Xhosa mourning attire.
This includes a black "doek" (head cloth that indicates a married status), a shawl, which is worn because she will not be working in the fields, and a skirt that is black and includes colours of the Madiba clan. She is also wearing an ochre-coloured blanket around her waist that represents earth — the final resting place of the body.
The food that will be prepared will consist mainly of freshly slaughtered meat and the women in the household will help to prepare tripe — the intestines of oxen for the family and guests.
"That is hard work as it must be cleaned properly," she says.
Sunday’s funeral will be attended by all of the Madiba clan, a number of local and foreign heads of state, and by immediate neighbours.
"Neighbours will be allowed to attend as this is not only Xhosa custom, but Madiba was very fond of his neighbours as he used to often walk over to them and chat.
"His favourite question when seeing a child was to ask: ‘Whose child are you?’," she says.
During the funeral an ox will be slaughtered as a symbol that Mr Mandela will be accompanied on his journey to meet his ancestors.
In depth: Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela 1918- 2013
News and views on the death, and life, of former president Nelson Mandela, with tributes and photographsThe final funeral rite will be performed on Monday at Qunu when a sheep will be slaughtered and the family will wash their hands in its blood. "This symbolises that the funeral is now over and the family can now return to their normal lives," Ms Balindlela says.
She says that despite being modern and a lawyer, Mandela had never forgotten his roots.
"Tata always insisted that one’s cultural heritage should never be a means of exclusion, but a source of pride and a way to respect other people," she says.
Ms Balindlela says he would also say that if one respected one’s culture, then one respected oneself and then one would be able to respect others on an equal footing.
Heavy rains over the past three days slowed some of the preparations forcing construction workers from private firms and the Department of Public Works to speed up the work, including the erection of the giant marque in which the final rites are expected to be conducted.
According to some construction workers, the rains had turned a service road essential for bringing equipment into a quagmire. The road had to be resurfaced.
Construction workers also reported that between 70 and 80 heavy truckloads of equipment were still to arrive from East London.
Security is tight around the site of the funeral service. Police and traffic officials have closed off parts of the N2 roadway and are controlling entry and exit very strictly.
Qunu and Mthatha have been overrun by military personnel who will escort Mandela’s remains from Mthatha airport on Saturday morning.
