/ 12 March 1999

Madiba heads for Finland

President Nelson Mandela and first lady Graca Machel left the Netherlands on Friday for Finland after completing the first leg of a farewell tour to western Europe. Thousands of people turned out to wave, sing and cheer Mandela on during his two-day visit here, organised to thank the Dutch for their support in the struggle against apartheid. He now travels to Finland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden as part of a week-long journey.