Makhosi's open letter to Leanne Manas

It was announced that Madiba would lie in state for three days at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. 

 

Thousands lined the streets of Pretoria, snaking around the Jacaranda-lined streets to pay their last respects to the former president.

 

Friday the 13th would be the last day his body would lie in state. 

 

Predictably, numbers making their way to the Union Buildings steadily increased as the last day grew closer. 

 

There were reports of park and ride facilities straining to cope with the sheer numbers of people who came from far and wide - as not everyone was invited to the state funeral scheduled for 15 Dec 2013.

 

Friday was a day someone decided to switch off the aircon in Pretoria. Not even a Mexican wave could quell the heat.

 

The wise started queueing from the crack of dawn; the foolish thought they would come in after 9am. 

 

When the Union Buildings were in sight chaos broke out; a combination of poor crowd control, impatience and the opportunity to catch a fleeting glimpse of the man who came when the hour came; being so close and yet so far.

 

There was apparently an attempt to stop people from going any further and telling them to call it a day - even though they had been queueing from dawn. 

 

They jumped the queue and police were called in to physically throw out people who were jumping the line, there were screams from people saying "you were neither in front nor behind me...get out of here". 

 

(I paraphrase here. The language was much stronger). 

 

Fights erupted and some police raised their hands in helplessness.

 

A fence was quickly erected to keep the crowds at bay because by now there was a bottleneck. 

 

Police had to jump on trees to calm the crowd down and try restore order. 

 

This took about half an hour and there was no loud-hailer, so the message had to be bush telegraphed down the line. 

 

The suggestion that four lines be formed seemed to be understood...that was until all hell broke loose and the crowd stormed the fence and forced their way forward...even if it was literally only to be met by more police - and us not really getting any closer to the Union Buildings.

 

The police screamed that we should now form a single line and try to be more orderly...it was at this point that the decision was made...

 

I loved Madiba, but...

 

I had trekked from Durban at 10pm the previous night to pay my respects to the former Commander-in-Chief. I had crossed to East Coast Radio just after 9:30 am to let them know of my progress towards where Nelson Mandela's body lay in state...but I couldn't be there any longer.

 

It was a long trek to Pretoria, but it all came to naught. 

 

I turned back, consoling myself by saying at least I had tried.

 

On Thursday morning 12 Dec 2013, in just a few words, Leanne Manas - the Morning Live anchor - painted a picture of what lay in wait should one go to see Madiba lying in state.

 

She described it as being a once in a lifetime opportunity, and said that if you could make it, you should do so - you should make the trip.

 

This is what inspired me to head out to Pretoria.

 

I blame Leanne Manas.

 

- Makhosi Khoza