A Christmas party organised by Nelson Mandela and Oprah Winfrey for 15 000 South African children descended into chaos yesterday when a stampede for food and gifts resulted in several injuries.
Paramedics treated children for exhaustion and injuries, and three people were taken to hospital. The trouble began when a crowd jumped fences and rushed into the former president’s rural home at Qunu, in the Eastern Cape.
No serious injuries were reported but organisers admitted that they were caught unprepared after more than double the number of people turned up compared with last year.
Mandela appealed for the children to calm down, said representative Zelda La Grange. Fences were cut down to relieve the pressure of overcrowding, and order was restored.
”The crowd was very difficult to control, especially because adults and older children also wanted to receive the gifts. It was very difficult to convince them that things needed to be done in a disciplined manner,” said La Grange.
The party was supposed to be a highlight of a visit by Ms Winfrey, the American talk show host, who has toured South Africa for the past few weeks at Mandela’s invitation dispensing money for Aids treatment and girls’ education.
Eastern Cape is one of the country’s poorest provinces. Since 500 children attended the first party, the annual event has attracted ever larger numbers, lured by the promise of a good meal, presents and the chance to see Mandela.
A team of 40 from the South African Chef’s Association prepared lunchboxes. In addition, younger children were to receive gift packs containing sweets and a toy. Teens were to receive packs of stationery.
Many children had queued since 2am and were dehydrated and tired by the time the party started at 9am. Several collapsed, and others became separated from their parents. – Guardian Unlimited Â