South Africa set to come to a standstill for Mandela memorial service

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South Africa will come to a standstill this morning as a state memorial service is held for former president Nelson Mandela, one of the most revered men of his time and perhaps of all time.

In the presence of world leaders, their own government and major figures of South African society, at least 100,000 people are expected to fill a giant football stadium on the edge of Soweto while across the country, people will watch the service on giant screens erected in public locations.

By noon yesterday, 91 heads of state and government and 10 former leaders had confirmed they would attend. As the South African authorities put it last night, “Kings, queens, princes and princesses will be joined at FNB Stadium by representatives of international organisations such as the United Nations, African Union, European Union, the Commonwealth and the World Bank, and other VIPs.”

Irish representation
Ireland will be represented by President Higgins and the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore. Former president Mary Robinson, a friend of Mr Mandela, will also attend, as will three former Dunnes Stores workers who went on strike in the 1980s when they refused to sell apartheid regime produce, earning praise from Mr Mandela after his release from prison.

Today’s ceremony is not a funeral service – Mr Mandela’s body will not be present. The formal funeral, which will involve traditional tribal rites, will take place on Sunday in Mr Mandela’s childhood village of Qunu in the Eastern Cape, about 900km south of Johannesburg. The government has urged foreign dignitaries not to travel to Qunu.

Eulogies
US president Barack Obama is among several people who will deliver eulogies at the memorial service in the stadium. Others are expected to include serving South African president Jacob Zuma, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and members of Mr Mandela's family. It was not known yesterday whether his former wife, Winnie Mandela, or widow, Graça Machel, would speak but both are expected to attend.

The ceremony is likely to be both a solemn and joyous occasion as Mr Mandela’s achievement in leading South Africa away from the apartheid era of racial segregation to democracy is marked by lofty rhetoric, singing and dancing.

On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday Mr Mandela’s body will be taken from a military hospital in Pretoria to lie in state in Union Buildings, the country’s parliament.

The road is expected to be lined by members of the public on each occasion and tens of thousands are expected to file past the glass-top coffin.