Former president Nelson Mandela’s 85th birthday brought a golden sunny day to his Houghton, Johannesburg, home on Friday.
At promptly 8am a beaming Mandela emerged holding wife Graca Machel’s hand.
There to greet them were members of the SA Military Health Services band.
They had come to honour Madiba by playing March for Madiba, composed by Major Ephraim Katz.
Katz said it had taken him a month to compose the tune.
A segment of the march incorporates elements of the national anthem.
The theme of the music was carried forward into a standing array of cakes — 85 in total — baked by the same SA Military Health Services unit.
They were donated to Mandela to use as he wishes — but hopefully to help his Children’s’ Fund.
The main cake — a scroll made of icing — displayed the score of the Madiba March. – Sapa