Pretoria – It was in 1997, when Phineas Molobela, who was then a chauffeur, received a call to transport an ambassador from the Middle East to former President Nelson Mandela’s residence in Houghton - little did he know that he would end up taking a picture with the statesman.
“On arrival at Mandela’s house, he was very welcoming and wanted to know more about me -- where I’m from and … about my family. He then thanked me for transporting the ambassador, who had come to hand over a donation for a children’s fund.
“He said to me in order to show his appreciation for my job, he was going to give me something I will appreciate for the rest of my life...he came and stood next to me and asked the ambassador to take a picture of him with me,” Molobela told SAnews.
The 57-year-old from Mamelodi East in Pretoria said he cherished the day he met Mandela and would keep the memories of that day alive and share them with his grand-children and great grand-children.
On Saturday, he was among hundreds of South Africans who joined the queue at the Union Buildings to sign the condolence book. He was carrying the framed picture of himself and Mandela, sharing the story with the tourists, who also came to lay flowers in memory of Madiba.
“Since the day this picture was taken, it has been hanging in my lounge at home. I was very jealous of showing it to other people, until Friday morning when I woke up and heard the sad news about the passing on of Mandela.
“I took it down and have been carrying it with me because it makes me feel closer to him. Mandela was my Messiah and my father. He was a humble person who cared about people. The news of him passing on shocked me, even though I knew this day was coming, it is still painful. However, I’m glad I had the opportunity to meet him once and talked to him,” a depressed Molobela said.
Mandela passed on in his family home in Houghton on Thursday evening at the age of 95.
Yesterday, President Jacob Zuma announced that the late statesman will be laid to rest at his home, in Qunu, in the Eastern Cape, on 15 December.
As South Africa prepares for a week of mourning, Mandela’s remains will be stationed at the Union Buildings in Pretoria from 11 to 13 December.
President Zuma also announced that Sunday, 8 December, has been declared a Day of Prayer and Reflection. – SAnews.gov.za
