NewsDay gives you hourly updates of the late former South African president Nelson Mandela’s memorial service currently happening in Johannesburg.By Monday night, hundreds of heads of state, government officials, and royals had confirmed their attendance.
Click here to read Obama’s full speech
Julius Malema’s EFF party pictured below as Bishop Ivan Abrahams now begins the sermon.
15:25 Zuma’s speech has ended – Bill Clinton and other VIPs seem to be leaving the stadium.
“The powerful name of Nelson Mandela lives on. It continues to inspire our people every single day “– ZumaMail and Guardian
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Mail and Guardian
14:38 Cuba’s Raul Castro Ruz speaks as mourners stream out of the stadium.
14:20Namibia’s President Hifikepunye Pohamba speaks now to a lot of singing and cheering. It’s hard to make out what the crowd is singing.
_________________ “The great leader had his eye focused on his country, his people and the whole of Africa” – Brazil President Dilma Rousseff
OBAMA: “Like America’s founding fathers… Commitment to democracy, rule of law. His (Mandela’s) willingness to step down from power. ________________________________ TWEETS
Obama: The word ubuntu “captures Mandela’s greatest gift”.
— David Smith (@SmithInAfrica) December 10, 2013
Obama is by far the most popular man at Mandela’s memorial. He is speaking under loudest cheers. Its like its a victory speech! — Dumisani (@DumisaniMuleya) December 10, 2013
Obama: “He was a man of flesh and blood. A son, a husband, a father, a friend.” — David Smith (@SmithInAfrica) December 10, 2013
Obama says it is a “singular honour” to be here, tells South Africans: “The world thanks you for sharing Nelson Mandela with us.” — David Smith (@SmithInAfrica) December 10, 2013
Obama shakes hands with Castro – a moment of reconciliation. Madiba’s magic at work!!!! — Dumisani (@DumisaniMuleya) December 10, 2013
_______________________________________________________ The singing has a definite defiant quality to it. The top tier of the stadium behind the stage is a moving mass of jumping figures, singing the clapping their hands. Dlamini-Zuma bravely forges through her speech despite the lack of attention. 13:20 Dlamini-Zuma is SA’s former Home Affairs minister and current AU chair. I wish we could tell you what she’s saying but it’s near impossible to hear her over the spreading singing and dancing- Mail and Guardian
13:13 Beautiful singing by Sibongile Khumalo. And now Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma takes to the stage.
–Mail and Guardian
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TWEETS
AU Commissioner Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma takes to the microphone. Dlamini-Zuma served in Mandela’s cabinet as health minister. — Peroshni Govender (@Peroshni) December 10, 2013
Nelson Mandela was more than one of the greatest leaders of our time, he was one of our greatest teachers, taught by example, Ban Ki Moon — Peroshni Govender (@Peroshni) December 10, 2013
UN Sec Gen Ban Ki Moon takes to the podium says hope we will be able to see the rainbow soon. “A rainbow fills our hearts.” #NelsonMandela — Peroshni Govender (@Peroshni) December 10, 2013
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12:56 OBAMA JUST ARRIVEDThings are going from bad to worse as far as audience discipline is concerned. As Cyril Ramaphosa please for discipline in the spirit of Mandela, the cameras focus on an embarrassed Barrack and Michelle Obama and the crowd erupt. Then Zuma makes an appearances and sustained jeers are heard.
PRESIDENT MUGABE ENTERS THE STADIUMHe is captured here on an Instagram picture 
Picture by Haji Mohamed Dawjee for Mail and Guardian
Baleka Mbete sings a tribute to Mandela and now calls Robben Island veteran Andrew Mlangeni to address… — Dumisani (@DumisaniMuleya) December 10, 2013
Andrew Mlangeni is Mandela’s fellow Rivonia trialist and Robben Island inmate.
#CyrilRamaphosa said it so beautifully; “Your long walk to freedom is finally over, you can rest now” #MadibaMemorial
— Adrienne McCarthy (@ItsLadyAdi) December 10, 2013
12:11 BRIEF MANDELA TRIBUTE
Ramaphosa started with a brief Mandela tribute and has not handed over to religious leaders starting off with SA’s chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein, who continues an analogy he’s spoken about comparing Nelson Mandela with the biblical character of Joseph, who was also unjustly imprisoned and rose to be a great, uniting figure.
“He too transcended his personal pain and years of suffering to embrace his brothers and sisters who had inflicted so much pain on him.” Mail and Guardian
“This is how Mandela would have liked it… African traditions, means the gods are welcoming you.”ZUMA’s NAME SKIPPED IN FORMAL INTRODUCTIONSCYRIL RAMAPHOSA ANC DEPUTY PRESIDENT. -MAIL AND GUARDIAN
Really? Zuma got a welcome? Not doubting you guys, but that wasn’t audible in the stadium.
— Phillip de Wet (@phillipdewet) December 10, 2013
December 10, 2013
12:00 OBAMA REPORTEDLY LEAVING HOTEL
National anthem and so it begins #Mandela Graca and WInnie looking pensive, stone faced…Crowd cheering…#Obama about to leave hotel
— Sarah Carter (@sarzss) December 10, 2013
Tweet by Sarah Carter for CBS Johannesburg
____________________________ 11:52 BOOS FOR ZUMA AS HE ENTERS STADIUMThis is AWKWARD: Zuma has arrived and the crowd is booing – persistently! This is an incredibly interesting development: The theory went that Mandela’s legacy celebrations should bolster Zuma’s image, who flaunted his closeness to Mandela. The boos come on the back of loud cheers for former president Mbeki and even last president under the previous apartheid regime de klerk. Is the tide turning so close to elections? Mail and Guardian
WINNIE, BAN-KI MOON, CASTRO GET CHEERS
Winnie and her daughter Zinzi arrive, solemn in black but to rapturous cheers. The crowds absolutely roar.
Picture courtesy of Haji Mohamed Dawjee for Mail and Guardian
Graca Machel announced yet to another roar of applause.
Mbeki gets another ear-splitting cheer when his name is announced, along with chants of his name from the crowd. UN Secretary General Ban-ki Moon also gets a cheer as does Kgalema Motlanthe AND Cuban president Castro! Mail and Guardian 11:24 BROKEN DOWN BUSES, TRAINS CAUSE DELAYExcitement is really building up now, and the broken down busses and trains delaying the stadium from filling up may make their way here soon. As for the weather there is a fine mist in the air but not too bad.
11:18 MBEKI TAKES SEAT AMID CHEERSWow, crowds go ballistic as former SA president, and Mandela’s successor, Thabo Mbeki, takes his seat on the stage. There seems to be something of an Mbeki nostalgia and revival recently. Mail and Guardian
________________________11:16 Mail and Guardian spoke to some people in the audiences and this is what they said:
“I came here to bid farewell to Tata Madiba, the father figure to all of us,” said Jerry Mohloaboni. Donning a red Economic Freedom Fighter’s cap he was soon lined up for interviews from media organisation across the world. “We are what we are because of the old man, and the others of his generation like Robert Sobukwe____________________________
11:00 BAD LUCK JULIUS MALEMA11:05 More crowds arriving but not nearly enough. It’s gone 11am, the official start time, and there are still large swathes of empty orange seats standing out like sores. it’ll be pretty embarrassing if it doesn’t change by the time the world’s leaders get on to stage.Mail and Guardian
The camera zooms in on a patch of red in the audience – a small band of Malema’s EFF party supporters – and the crowd boos… Mail and Guardian
10:30 MOURNERS DEFY RAIN TO ATTEND MEMORIAL
10:29 ROAR OF CROWD AS CHARLIZE THERON, OTHER CELEBS ARRIVE
A roar from the crowds as the screens show various dignitaries arrive plus celebs like Charlize Theron, who was just shown weaving her way elegantly through the entrance.
A group of about 30 toyi-toying mourners have just arrived at the stadium and danced their way across the seats and onto the empty, waterlogged field. They hold umbrellas and wave a single South African flag, chased by stragglers wanting to join in the fun. — Thalia Holmes from Ellis Park for Mail and Guardian
-As crowds gather under umbrellas and shelter from the rain, people have begun streaming to the FNB Stadium where Madiba’s memorial will be held. Mail and Guardian
Thousands of people already in the stadium forming whorls of dancing and singing; ANC-coloured mohawk wigs, Springbok jerseys, people draped in South African and ANC flags, toyi-toying up and down the aisles to the joy of camera crews, braving the rain. Those who brought umbrellas nab seats in the front rows, while the majority fill the back rows to hide from the rain. –Mail and Guardian
SEE FULL MEMORIAL PROGRAMME HERE SEE FULL LIST OF HEADS OF STATE ATTENDING
UPDATES BY TAPIWA ZIVIRA
