The Associated Press
JOHANNESBURG -- Nelson Mandela's African National Congress brought
its centenary celebrations to his home village in rural eastern South
Africa Wednesday.
State television
released images of a delegation led by the governing party's national
chairperson, Baleka Mbete, visiting the anti-apartheid icon's Qunu home with a
barrel-sized replica of the torch lit during the party's 100th anniversary
celebrations earlier this year. Mandela, surrounded by grandchildren and his
wife, spoke briefly as he sat in an armchair, telling Mbete he was happy to see
her.
Nelson Mandela surrounded by grandchildren and his wife
Mbete joked that she
wasn't sure what was warming her more, being near Mandela or being near the lit
torch. She added that he should enjoy his retirement, but "we want you to
know that we miss you all the time."
Mandela, who makes
few public appearances, arrived in Qunu on Tuesday from Johannesburg,
where he also has a home. Next month is his 94th birthday, and he often
celebrates birthdays in the village where he grew up.
In February, Mandela
was hospitalized in Johannesburg
for a test to determine the cause of an undisclosed stomach ailment.
The Nobel peace
laureate spent 27 years in prison for fighting racist rule. He became South
Africa's first black president in 1994 and
served one five-year term.
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