Madiba to share birthday celebrations with SA kids

Former president Nelson Mandela will share a birthday cake with youngsters in Johannesburg on Tuesday at his annual children’s party.

Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund spokesperson Tumi Mdwaba said the cutting of the cake will be the day’s highlight.

“Madiba always comes to the level of his young well-wishers by presenting the cake with his favourite serving salutation ‘Nantsoke!’ [there you are].”

The party is one of a number of events to commemorate Madiba’s 89th birthday.

On Sunday the annual Nelson Mandela Lecture will be delivered by former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan.

On Wednesday, Mandela was joined by former world leaders in Johannesburg on his birthday to announce the Elders, a group that will tackle and provide guidance on world problems.

Later on Wednesday, soccer greats took to the field in Cape Town in the Fifa “90 Minutes for Mandela” match between an Africa XI and Rest of World XI that ended in a 3-3 draw.

On Thursday, former United States president Bill Clinton gave a lecture at the Nelson Mandela Foundation offices in Johannesburg.

An exhibition on Mandela and former African National Congress president Chief Albert Luthuli was also opened.—Sapa