At about midnight on Thursday, the 5th of December DW’s director Allan Cain was en route to Johannesburg when Nelson Mandela’s death was announced on the airport display screens. The following is Allan’s reflection on Mandela’s passing.
I remember the first and only time I saw Nelson Mandela in May 1990. Shortly after being released from prison, he chose to come to Angola as his first trip abroad. Julia and I and our two children Mathieu and Rebecca walked from home, the short distance to Largo 1 de Maio where he as speaking. I told my 9 year old son that this was a historic event that I hoped he would remember. Mandela thanked Angola for the sacrifices that the country made for supporting the ANC’s liberation movement in their fight against the apartheid regime.