Nelson Mandela once took out his wallet at his annual childrens’ party so that a child could buy his grandmother some cake.
The story goes that at his 85th birthday celebrations Mandela met a 12-year-old boy who looked after his sick and elderly grandmother, and asked the boy what he would do with 20 shillings.
Guessing that shillings meant money, the boy said he would buy a cake for his granny. Madiba pulled out his wallet and gave him R500.
”When Mr Mandela sees children, he just melts. He holds them very dear to his heart,” says Tumi Mdwaba, spokesperson for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.
On Tuesday over 200 children will join Madiba at his annual children’s party.
For Mandela, it will be the culmination of a week that included visits by former US presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton and former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan, to mark his birthday on July 18.
Tuesday’s guests will come from crèches around Johannesburg for an event that Mdwaba says lets them ”feel free to be themselves”.
Madiba’s interaction with his guests has slowed down over the years but even the youngest children usually know who he is.
”He is no longer a president, but children still recognise him as their icon. I think it’s his charisma. I’ve seen it with my children as well — they recognised Mr Mandela at the age of two,” she says.
”I think there’s a supernatural power that he has, that he draws children in. No matter where he is.”
Over the years, organisers have learned how to manage the number of people wanting to meet the Nobel Laureate and South Africa’s first freely elected leader.
”When he comes, everybody just wants to meet him. Everybody. And it sometimes becomes a logistical nightmare.”
Parents often want to accompany their children but are told it is a children’s party meant to give youngsters the chance to meet Madiba.
”Mr Mandela is an icon for children,” says Mdwaba. ”No matter what, his first love is children.”
The parties however are not just about cake, heroes and games. The fund is an advocacy organisation and each party has a theme.
”We’ve never had just a party, there has always been a theme — trying to get young people to say what they think and to give their opinions on issues,” says Mampe Ntsedi, the fund’s programme specialist for skills, leadership and excellence.
Past themes have included HIV/Aids, disabilities, life-threatening diseases and taking part in children’s parliaments.
Initially, three-day parties were held in different provinces but funding and staff capacity constraints were behind the move to a centralised, one-day event.
”He used to be flying all over so now it’s easier because he’s just down the road in Houghton [where he lives],” said Mdwaba.
A party held years ago in the rural Northern Cape stands out for Ntsedi.
”You saw people who never thought Mr Mandela could come to them. Most never imagined that Mr Mandela could be accessible to communities like theirs and there he was.”
One 10-year-old boy received a gift pack of toothpaste, a toothbrush, and a face-cloth.
”He said ‘Is this for me?… All my life I’ve never had my own toothpaste, my own toothbrush and my own face cloth’. … For me that was a wow moment.”
This year’s party will look at African children and reclaiming their dignity, with dialogue around the Child Care Act.
In 1994, Mandela pledged R150 000 — one third of his presidential salary — to improve the quality of life of the country’s deprived children.
The Children’s Fund was established the next year and the first annual children’s party to celebrate Madiba’s 77th birthday was held.
The day’s highlight is usually when Mandela cuts the sponsored giant cake.
Last year’s confection was a giant rectangular chocolate affair but Madiba is said to be partial to a swiss roll.
Asked if Madiba gave any messages to his guests, Mdwaba said: ”Mr Mandela will always say ‘You must take care of me, I’m an old man … I’m not working anymore, I’m a poor man”’.
He may also ask the children to sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
”That’s his favourite song. He loves it. And then the children will sing Happy Birthday.”
”He loves children. They are number one.” – Sapa