South Africans prepare big 95th birthday bash for ailing Mandela

South Africa was yesterday preparing a grand ceremony to mark former President Nelson Mandela’s 95th birthday.
This is amid uncertainty and anxiety that has surrounded his hospitalisation for more than a month now.Amid the confusion, many South Africans view Mandela’s fight for
his life as his last and are preparing for the inevitable.
The family, the African National Congress (ANC) and the government have been consulting over his funeral likely to be held in his village of Qunu, according to his wishes.
The illness has sparked a storm that has drawn in his family, ANC, President Zuma and even the monarch of his Thembu tribe. King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo is now fighting to keep his crown following a spat with a local chief and Mandela’s grandson, Mandla, over the management of the icon’s legacy.
‘critical but stable’
However, ordinary South Africans believe the presidency, which is tasked with issuing updates on Mandela’s health, is not being frank. For two weeks, it has said his condition is “critical but stable”.
His family and people who have visited him have given conflicting statements – some have said he is on life support, that he is seriously ill while others say his condition has improved. Doctors at the Mediclinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria are treating him for a lung infection.
“We are not getting as much information as we should,” said Jacqueline Noah, who visited the hospital with her mother and seven-year-old son to pay tribute to Mandela.
“Why is there so much secrecy? I mean he is also our father. We want to hear the truth.” Visits are strictly restricted and only those close to him or his family are allowed to see him.
Without much information, people have concluded that these are the icon’s last days. They cite his failing health and old age.
On Wednesday, Dalindyebo visited him in hospital and said he was being assisted “in many ways”. He is “attached to lots of tubes,” he added without explaining.
In court filings, his family said doctors had advised them to switch-off the life support machine keeping him alive. Zuma denied the claims.

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AFP quoted Dalindyebo saying: “He could not talk, but he recognised me and made a few gestures of acknowledgement, like moving his eyes.”

Goolam Suleiman, whose parents came from Pakistan and settled in South Africa more than a century ago, said he was horrified by the family squabbles.
“This is not the time to behave the way the family is doing. A time he is lying on his deathbed. Not that we wish him dead; that is inevitable,” he said outside Mandela’s home in Houghton, Johannesburg.
“It is unfortunate that we have to see a great icon like Nelson Mandela go in this manner,” he told The Standard.
Despite the illness, preparations for his birthday, which are usually marked with speeches, tournaments, parties and charity work, are ongoing.
Birthday schedule
ANC spokesman Keith Koza said the party, his family and the government would release schedules for the celebrations this weekend.
At the hospital, a pastor led a small congregation in declaring that Mandela has completed his work on earth and should be released.
The Sunday Sun said while Mandela selflessly marched to freedom, his family had made a “long walk to riches”.
Leonard Mashele remembers a cartoon by South African cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro depicting a young Mandela behind bars during the time he spent in prison. Another one shows an aged Mandela still in prison.