A beaming Nelson Mandela cut birthday cake, gave hugs and received gifts at his annual children’s party in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
The children — wearing complimentary red fleece jackets — sang Happy Birthday to the 89-year-old shortly after his arrival at the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund offices.
Seated under an umbrella, Madiba gave hugs to some of the guests who came up to give him cards, presents and messages.
At his side Graça Machel, with whom he celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary last week, pulled a four-year-old boy onto her lap.
Birthday wishes included carefully worded tributes to ”the angel of heaven”, the more simple ”happy birthday Tata” and even a ”congratulations on your 29th birthday”.
In one of the cards, five-year-old Robert of the Aletta Sutton Educare Centre said to Mandela: ”You are the goodest man in the world.”
In the card, Franco told Mandela he was ”the boss of the whole country” from Franco (4) while Olerato (5) said ”Happy birthday Madiba. I love you. You are the best man ever”.
Mandela rose to cut the giant sponsored chocolate and vanilla cake and was assisted by some of his little guests.
As he left, a number of children came to greet him, with Machel saying ”Let them come.”
A group soon gathered around the cake as it was being divided — with some unable to resist sticking their fingers into the melting icing.
”Like cream,” is one guest’s description of how the cake tasted.
Zolile Cele, who gave Madiba a folding chair made by fellow pupils at the special needs Forest Town school, said meeting Mandela was ”cool”.
”He said hello and then he just asked my name. It was cool and I felt happy,” said the 11-year-old who delivered the gift in his ”ZOLILE 1 GP” wheelchair.
He added that Mandela was ”something big to me”.
Earlier six-year-old Kezia said she was very excited at seeing Mandela.
”This is my first day to meet the ex-president. I haven’t seen him. It’s just nice.”
Mphai Mthethwa (9) said she had once sat on Madiba’s lap at a previous party.
”I sat on his lap and said hello to him and I shaked his hand.”
The younger children ate cake, had their faces painted and played on a carousel and inflated slide.
The party has been held since the fund was formed in 1995 and was part of celebrations to mark Mandela’s birthday on July 18.
This year’s theme for the party was African children and reclaiming their dignity.
Around 300 children were invited to the party, including children from the Salvation Army in Soweto, a Diesploot crèche and the Kensington Day Care Centre.
The celebration followed Mandela announcing a global council of ”Elders” last week which included former US president Jimmy Carter, former Irish president Mary Robinson and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.
In two other events, former US president Bill Clinton spoke on Mandela’s legacy and former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan delivered the fifth annual Nelson Mandela lecture. – Sapa