Cape Town to host Madiba tribute

Cape Town is set to conduct its own tribute to the great Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa. The event ‘Madiba – Nelson Mandela: A Life Celebrated’ comes after a memorial hosting foreign dignitaries, presidents, celebrities, local dignitaries and crowds took place at the FNB Stadium, south of Johannesburg yesterday (10 December).


Speeches by Desmond Tutu, US president Barack Obama, current president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, and Mandela’s grand-daughter, to name but a few, were made.


Controversy has surrounded the FNB Stadium event after President Zuma was booed on stage. This act was later condemned by the ANC.


US president Barack Obama's speech received much praise, however the American president was later criticised for the 'selfie' he made along with British prime minister David Cameron and Danish prime minister Helle Thorning- Schmidt.


Details of Cape Town’s event
The City said on its website that all available coupons have been collected and only those members of the public with a coupon will be allowed access into the stadium. Tickets were given away for free from Computicket and Shoprite stores.


Cape Town’s event will take place at the Cape Town Stadium today, (11 December 2013). Gates will open at 14:00 and the event starts at 16:00. The programme is expected to run until 22:30. Mayor Patricia de Lille tweeted that Freshly Ground, The Bala Brothers and Ladysmith Black Mambazo will perform at the City of Cape Town’s memorial service.  


The City has urged residents to only come to the stadium event if they have their coupon. Children under the age of two do not require a coupon. The City appealed to coupon-holders to give away any coupons that they won’t be using. “This is the best way of honouring Madiba: ensuring that as many people as possible can attend the event. Anyone who has spare coupons or coupons they cannot use is encouraged to give these coupons to friends, family members, or even strangers who they know will make use of them,” said a statement on the City’s website.


Mourners without coupons can still witness the homage to Madiba at a screening of the event on the Grand Parade. The event will be screened on the Grand Parade from 16:00 when it starts.


Getting there and back
The coupon for entry to the stadium event allows free access to public transport into and out of the city on the MyCiTi bus service, Golden Arrow Bus Services, and Metrorail.


There will be a free MyCiTi shuttle service from the Civic Centre to the Cape Town Stadium, and a pedestrian ‘walk of remembrance’ from the Cape Town Station to the Stadium will be activated (the fan walk).


For the MyCiTi shuttle from the Civic Centre to the Cape Town Stadium, commuters will be asked to produce their coupons before they get onto the bus. Coupon-holders are asked to please keep their coupons handy if they intend to use the shuttle to get to the stadium. Those without a coupon for the stadium event will not be able to get onto the MyCiTi shuttle to the stadium.


Guidelines for stadium event
Food and beverages are not allowed to be brought into the stadium. However, these items will be on sale at reduced rates inside the stadium. No alcohol is allowed inside the stadium and none will be on sale.


Coupon-holders should not bring any of the following items into the stadium: dangerous items; cameras with detachable lenses; umbrellas; strollers; helmets; and video cameras.


Grand Parade details:
For those attending the screening of the event on the Grand Parade, free public transport has been made available into and out of the city on the MyCiTi bus service, Golden Arrow Bus Services, and Metrorail. This transport will be available from 12:00 to 15:00 inbound only and from 19:00 onwards outbound only, i.e. only the routes coming into and out of the city during these times are free. Normal tariffs still apply for other routes.


For more transport-related information, contact the Transport Information Centre on 0800 65 64 63.