Africa is a dangerous continent still has race hate, planned to blow up school buses and buildings.

Andy to even ask that question shows so much ignorance.

About a unique leader - who was proud, brave, principled, bright, world/history changing and an educated visionary.

And even and also funny.

At just the right time.......

Many have agreed with me Benny, every leader is unique, proud, educated and have visions. Your opinion on the rest.

Met him twice in 3 days - once in London then at Centenary Square in Leeds.

Thousands wanted to meet him and shake his hand - yet when he spoke to you, you felt that he was truly listening and not just going through the motions.

Extraordinary man ... with the common touch

I'm a big Mandela fan; he has exactly the right level of peaceful acceptance of the world.
Quite apart from anything else he inspired one of the great protest songs (Free Nelson Mandela).
When wits quoted "no-one can take my freedom away" during my minor career hiccup a few years ago I answered "Tell that to Mandela".

In The Know wrote:
Met him twice in 3 days - once in London then at Centenary Square in Leeds.

Thousands wanted to meet him and shake his hand - yet when he spoke to you, you felt that he was truly listening and not just going through the motions.

Extraordinary man ... with the common touch

I was in a media pen (where we belong)at the Hilton Hotel when Mandela was to arrive for a function. He came over to speak to my pal who has a broken nose (he thought he was a boxer- he's mad about boxing).

He has more of that strange thing we call charisma than any pop or movie star I've encountered...both every regal and humble at the same time.

South Africa while not perfect would have descended into chaos and a bloodbath without him.

## it shows the measure of the man that he would treat the same, my seemingly boxer pal and a ghastly Tory. (not mentioning any names although you know who comes to mind )

The coverage is quite obscene. The TV people have their obit packages prepared and they just seem impatient to run them. It's ghoulish.

hedda wrote:

I was in a media pen (where we belong)at the Hilton Hotel when Mandela was to arrive for a function. He came over to speak to my pal who has a broken nose (he thought he was a boxer- he's mad about boxing).

He has more of that strange thing we call charisma than any pop or movie star I've encountered...both every regal and humble at the same time.

Were you warned about using flash, hedda-tas?
Apparently he has an eye problem exacerbated by flash.

In The Know wrote:
hedda wrote:

I was in a media pen (where we belong)at the Hilton Hotel when Mandela was to arrive for a function. He came over to speak to my pal who has a broken nose (he thought he was a boxer- he's mad about boxing).

He has more of that strange thing we call charisma than any pop or movie star I've encountered...both every regal and humble at the same time.

Were you warned about using flash, hedda-tas?
Apparently he has an eye problem exacerbated by flash.

yes..everyone was asked not to use flash.

no problem for me..my Box Brownie doesn't have such a sophisticated device.

Prunella Minge wrote:
quite obscene.......ghoulish


To use those words in the context of Mandela is somehow sickening.

He changed Africa and so many other things in the broader world - and told, by his direct and simple oratory, people how to listen.

A Nobel prize winner.

Perhaps the greatest of them all.......

Prunella Minge wrote:
The TV people have their obit packages prepared and they just seem impatient to run them. It's ghoulish.

Standard practise, Pru

I bet they've been updating Prince Philip's tribute show more than a few times recently.

In The Know wrote:
Prunella Minge wrote:
The TV people have their obit packages prepared and they just seem impatient to run them. It's ghoulish.

Standard practise, Pru

I bet they've been updating Prince Philip's tribute show more than a few times recently.

More TV schedules changing, why bother with obituaries programmes same stuff is on Youtube and Wikipedia ?

In The Know wrote:
Prunella Minge wrote:
The TV people have their obit packages prepared and they just seem impatient to run them. It's ghoulish.

Standard practise, Pru

I bet they've been updating Prince Philip's tribute show more than a few times recently.

They must have had Veritas' ready for a long time

Prunella Minge wrote:
The coverage is quite obscene. The TV people have their obit packages prepared and they just seem impatient to run them. It's ghoulish.

Thing is, they'll have the packages all ready to go for Brenda, Phil the Greek, Chas etc.

Probably even Bill and Harry.

steveimp wrote:
Prunella Minge wrote:
The coverage is quite obscene. The TV people have their obit packages prepared and they just seem impatient to run them. It's ghoulish.

Thing is, they'll have the packages all ready to go for Brenda, Phil the Greek, Chas etc.

Probably even Bill and Harry.

Well yes, obviously, but Mandela has been ill for a long time, hence the ghoulish impatience.

In The Know wrote:
Prunella Minge wrote:
The TV people have their obit packages prepared and they just seem impatient to run them. It's ghoulish.

Standard practise, Pru

I bet they've been updating Prince Philip's tribute show more than a few times recently.

Good god, some people really think they're privy to amazing secrets. Yes, I know! But thanks for reminding me why I stopped visiting this den of deluded egomaniacs.

This thread is like the inside of Sybil Fawlty's head - full of the bleedin' obvious!