Mandela, who was met at Luanda airport by Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos and a large reception committee of government members, said Angola had given asylum to thousands of South African refugees and had helped train ANC guerrillas.
Dos Santos said Angola had suffered ”tremendous military, political and economic pressure in its fight against apartheid. But, he said, the region was entering a new era of peace.
Earlier in the day, Mandela visited the tomb of Agostinho Neto, who led Angola to Independence and became its first president Neto died in 1979.
Dos Santos presented Mandela with Angola’s highest honour, the Order of Agostinho Neto.
Mandela is expected to visit Nigeria, Libya, Algeria, Egypt and Zambia in an African tour in which he will brief African leaders on the ”talks about talks” held between the ANC and the South African government last week.
This article originally appeared in the Weekly Mail.
