Slow trickle of people pass by Mandela’s house in Houghton

On the first anniversary of his passing, a few conveyed their gratitude and reflected on the memory of Madiba.

In stark contrast to last year when several roads were closed off and hundreds of people spent hours holding vigils outside his Houghton house, only a modest stream of people passed by to lay flowers and share stories about Mandela.

In the morning, DA provincial leader John Moodey laid a wreath outside the house and honoured Mandela for his willingness to sacrifice himself for his beliefs. “He knew what it was to be a servant of the people… we were blessed to have this giant of a man, who calmed the fears of the nation and brought about peace,” said Moodey.

See video of John Moodey’s speech link:

Many tour guides and tour buses took advantage of the day by bringing their guests past the house. A married couple from the United States, Phyllis Goldin and Wanda Brown, stopped outside to witness the commemoration.

Goldin stated that they admired Mandela for his persistence in the struggle for civil rights, while her wife, Brown, praised South Africa’s progressive Constitution, the foundation of which Mandela strongly influenced.

The couple’s South African tour guide, Emmanuel Ramafola recalled that this time last year, he spent some time with friends outside the residence.

Colleagues Bongani Soga and Solly Sambo took time off work to visit, they encouraged the active participation of the crowd and awakened a sense of camaraderie. As the crowd gathered, sentiments were expressed in prayer, song and dance as strangers held hands and paid tribute to the icon.

See video of bystanders singing the national anthem outside Nelson Mandela’s house link:

See video of people joining hands in song at Nelson Mandela’s house link:

Soga said, “I was preparing for work [this time last year], when my brother came and said to me ‘he is gone’ and [just] from that I knew.

“We came here and we were chanting, singing and dancing to celebrate his life.”

Local resident Carol Penn brought her relatives from London. Penn remembered how the streets were filled with people last year. “I heard on the radio [about his passing],” she said.

While Heather Susskind brought her two little boys aged three and five along with her because she felt it important they learn about Madiba’s legacy. Susskind spent a few moments showing her boys the pebbles in the flower beds outside the Mandela house with messages left by other children.