Mandela’s villages lie in neglect
THREE Eastern Cape villages linked to Nelson Mandela’s early life are worlds apart in terms of development.
Mvezo, where Mandela was born in 1918, is booming with multimillion- rand projects designed to benefit its residents.
In contrast, little but his own compound and a museum overlooking it has been built at Qunu, where Mandela lived with his mother from age four to nine and later chose to retire.
It was here, when he started school, that he was given the name Nelson.
Mqhekezweni, where he went to live after his father died and where he spent his teenage years, is virtually unchanged since the world-renowned statesman left there for Johannesburg in the early 1940s.
A spokesman for Eastern Cape premier Noxolo Kiviet said there was a plan to develop a “Mandela Trail” linking the three villages.
But chief Zanomthetho Mtirara of Mqhekezweni was skeptical, saying many promises had been made, but none kept. “I doubt that will happen. That place is a disgrace as there is nothing happening in terms of development,” he told the Daily Dispatch.
Villagers believe that being associated with the Mandela name will bring tourists, development and ultimately jobs. But so far this is happening only in one of them.....
For the full story see The Daily Dispatch or subscribe to our E-edition by clicking
No light for Madiba’s neighbour
By BONGANI FUZILE
AFTER nearly two decades of freedom, Nelson Mandela’s closest neighbour in his chosen retirement village still relies on candles for light and water from a nearby river.
Many in the country praise the former president for his often repeated dream to see impoverished communities developing and living better lives, across the racial divide, but that better life is still a dream for many.
For the full story see The Daily Dispatch or subscribe to our E-edition by clicking
Chief speaks about unfulfilled promises
By BONGANI FUZILE
CHIEF Zanomthetho Mtirara of Mqhekezweni village said many promises had been made to develop tourist attractions in the village but nothing had ever come of them.
He said promises included restoring the home of regent king Jongintaba Mtirara, who had a huge influence on former president Nelson Mandela during his teenage years, and erecting a statue in the king’s honour.
For the full story see The Daily Dispatch or subscribe to our E-edition by clicking
There’s really nothing to write home about here, say villagers
By BONGANI FUZILE
THE three villages in which former president Nelson Mandela lived in his youth may be prominent in history books but a number of people in at least two of these areas see nothing fancy about them.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch this week, villagers, mostly young people, said the Mandela name only works for his family and those close to them.
For the full story see The Daily Dispatch or subscribe to our E-edition by clicking
THE MANDELA TRAIL
THREE Eastern Cape villages linked to Nelson Mandela’s early life are worlds apart in terms of development.
Mvezo, where Mandela was born in 1918, is booming with multimillion- rand projects designed to benefit its residents.
In contrast, little but his own compound and a museum overlooking it has been built at Qunu, where Mandela lived with his mother from age four to nine and later chose to retire.
It was here, when he started school, that he was given the name Nelson.
Mqhekezweni, where he went to live after his father died and where he spent his teenage years, is virtually unchanged since the world-renowned statesman left there for Johannesburg in the early 1940s.
A spokesman for Eastern Cape premier Noxolo Kiviet said there was a plan to develop a “Mandela Trail” linking the three villages.
But chief Zanomthetho Mtirara of Mqhekezweni was skeptical, saying many promises had been made, but none kept. “I doubt that will happen. That place is a disgrace as there is nothing happening in terms of development,” he told the Daily Dispatch.
Villagers believe that being associated with the Mandela name will bring tourists, development and ultimately jobs. But so far this is happening only in one of them.....
For the full story see The Daily Dispatch or subscribe to our E-edition by clicking
No light for Madiba’s neighbour
By BONGANI FUZILE
AFTER nearly two decades of freedom, Nelson Mandela’s closest neighbour in his chosen retirement village still relies on candles for light and water from a nearby river.
Many in the country praise the former president for his often repeated dream to see impoverished communities developing and living better lives, across the racial divide, but that better life is still a dream for many.
For the full story see The Daily Dispatch or subscribe to our E-edition by clicking
Chief speaks about unfulfilled promises
By BONGANI FUZILE
CHIEF Zanomthetho Mtirara of Mqhekezweni village said many promises had been made to develop tourist attractions in the village but nothing had ever come of them.
He said promises included restoring the home of regent king Jongintaba Mtirara, who had a huge influence on former president Nelson Mandela during his teenage years, and erecting a statue in the king’s honour.
For the full story see The Daily Dispatch or subscribe to our E-edition by clicking
There’s really nothing to write home about here, say villagers
By BONGANI FUZILE
THE three villages in which former president Nelson Mandela lived in his youth may be prominent in history books but a number of people in at least two of these areas see nothing fancy about them.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch this week, villagers, mostly young people, said the Mandela name only works for his family and those close to them.
For the full story see The Daily Dispatch or subscribe to our E-edition by clicking
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