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ICYMI: Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has been laid to rest at the Fourways Memorial Park

CRAIGAVON – Winnie Madikizela-Mandela will be laid to rest at Fourways Memorial Park yesterday.

April 14, 2018
Daniella Potter, Sarah Koning, Masego Seemela and Robyn Kirk 4 minutes read
Struggle icon, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela to be laid to rest on 14 April at Fourways Memorial Park. Photo: Masego Seemela.

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has been laid to rest at the Fourways Memorial Park.

Struggle icon, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela to be laid to rest on 14 April at Fourways Memorial Park. Photo: Masego Seemela.

The proceedings of the burial ceremony for Madikizela-Mandela concluded just after 5pm after family members and dignitaries paid their respects to Mother of the Nation.

Earlier in the week, journalist Masego Seemela visited the memorial park.

Read more here: This is where Mama Winnie will be laid to rest at Fourways Memorial Park

Struggle icon, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela to be laid to rest on 14 April at Fourways Memorial Park. Photo: Masego Seemela.

While the proceedings of the burial ceremony were solemn inside the Fourways Memorial Park, outside, there was music.

Community members play music outside the Fourways Memorial Park as the funeral proceedings are under way. Photo: Sarah Koning

ALSO READ: IN PICTURES: Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s funeral at Orlando Stadium

Some family members and dignitaries paid their respects to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, throwing soil on her coffin, before she is laid to rest.

Burial ceremony for Mama Winnie is under way at Fourways Memorial Park

The coffin carrying Mama Winnie’s body has arrived at the Fourways Memorial Park.

ALSO READ: 5 things to note about Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s funeral proceedings

The proceedings of the burial ceremony have begun.

Outside the memorial park, hundreds of community members have gathered. The South African flag can be seen too.

Watch the proceedings here, courtesy of the SABC:

Rain clears as dignitaries take their seats for the burial ceremony

As family members and dignitaries took their seats at the burial ceremony for Winnie Madikizela-Mandela at Fourways Memorial Park, the rain cleared.

A rainbow formed in the sky near Paulshof in the Fourways area.

Singing continued outside, while the SA Defence Force marching band played inside the memorial park.

ALSO READ: IN TWEETS: Ramaphosa pays tribute to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela by reading Maya Angelou’s poem, ‘And still I rise’

Community members chant at the entrance of Fourways Memorial Park

Only a few dignitaries and family members will attend the burial ceremony for Winnie Madikizela-Mandela at the Fourways Memorial Park.

The many community members who have formed a guard of honour along the road outside the memorial park are singing struggle songs while the sound of sirens scream past.

Community members tried to force their way into the memorial park but were prevented by local authorities. They then chanted at the entrance.

Community members chant outside Fourways Memorial Park. Photo: Sarah Koning
Community members chant outside Fourways Memorial Park. Photo: Sarah Koning

Watch Sarah Koning’s videos here:

ALSO READ: Naomi Campbell says Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was ‘a heroine for a whole continent’

SA Defence Force arrives at Fourways Memorial Park

The funeral procession for Winnie Madikizela Mandela has entered the Fourways area. Roads are now temporarily closed to traffic.

Funeral procession enters Fourways. Photo: Robyn Kirk

ALSO READ: LIVE: Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s funeral is under way

The rain and cloudy weather has not deterred community members from forming a guard of honour along the streets in Fourways.

Clouds roll in bringing rain to Fourways as the procession makes its way to Fourways. Photo: Sarah Koning

ALSO READ: Malema roasted for ‘not knowing his ANC history’ at Winnie funeral

Hundreds gather outside the Fourways Memorial Park as funeral procession travels to Fourways

The SA Defence Force beings the journey of transporting Winnie Madikizela-Mandela to her final resting place.

Jean Berdou of Future City Fourways is at the Orlando Stadium and says it is expected that the funeral procession will be in the Fourways area at around 3pm.

It is therefore expected that roads in Fourways will be temporarily closed at around 3pm. This is a little later than initially anticipated.

People have gathered on William Nicol Drive to wait for the procession. Clouds began rolling in as the procession made its way to the Fourways area. As it started to drizzle, a group of bystanders on William Nicol Drive started to sing.

Community members gather on William Nicol Drive in anticipation for Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s funeral procession. Photo: Robyn Kirk
Hundreds of people gather on William Nicol Drive to await the procession. Photo: Robyn Kirk

Hundreds more community members gathered at the Fourways Memorial Park to await the procession.

Hundreds of community members gather outside Fourways Memorial Park to bid farewell to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. Photo: Sarah Koning

Only family members and dignitaries will be allowed into the park for the burial ceremony.

The 19-gun salute is anticipated at around 3.30pm.

The funeral service at Orlando Stadium concluded at around 2.30pm and rain started to fall at the stadium, while skies remain bright and sunny in Fourways.

Roads in the Fourways area remain open for now.

Rain is said to be slowing down the procession.

The procession will depart from the Orlando Stadium and head towards the N17 on-ramp. It will take the N1 offramp at William Nicol Drive and turn left onto Witkoppen Road, then right onto Cedar Road and onwards to the Fourways Memorial Park in Craigavon.

ALSO READ: Julius Malema ends up next to Bathabile Dlamini at Winnie’s funeral

Earlier

By 2.15pm, the community was still awaiting the funeral procession. Roads were still open.

Community members await the funeral procession outside the Fourways Memorial Park. Photo: Sarah Koning

Earlier

Community members outside the Fourways Memorial Park who are awaiting Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s funeral procession are chanting, “We are ready for Winnie Mandela.”

Roads are still open in Fourways and the funeral proceedings are continuing at the Orlando Stadium.

It was expected that the funeral procession would leave the stadium at 12pm enroute to the Fourways Memorial Park. It was thought that the procession would arrive at the park at 1.30pm, however, by 1.30pm, President Cyril Ramaphosa was delivering his tribute to Madikizela-Mandela at the funeral service at the Orlando Stadium.

Earlier, the community started singing outside the memorial park.

Earlier

Roads in Fourways are still open ahead of the funeral procession from the Orlando Stadium in Soweto to the Fourways Memorial Park where Winnie Madikizela-Mandela will be laid to rest this afternoon.

William Nicol Drive is still open in Fourways. Photo: Robyn Kirk

Fourways Review‘s team: Sarah Koning, Masego Seemela and Robyn Kirk are at various places along the route to capture the action as it unfolds.

At 11.30am, there was a police and media presence on Inchanga Road near Memorial Lane which leads to the memorial park.

There is a police and media presence on Inchanga Road in Craigavon awaiting the arrival of the funeral procession. Photo: Masego Seemela

Some members of the public are camping near the memorial park.

Members of the public are waiting near the memorial park. Photo: Sarah Koning

Journalist Masego Seemela reports from the scene:

Updates to continue as they happen.

ALSO READ: Diepsloot residents threaten to block route of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s funeral procession

ALSO READ: LIVE: Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s funeral is under way

ALSO READ: 5 things to note about Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s funeral proceedings

ALSO READ: Travel alert for Fourways residents on Saturday for the burial of struggle stalwart, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela

 

April 14, 2018
Daniella Potter, Sarah Koning, Masego Seemela and Robyn Kirk 4 minutes read

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