So I saw Nelson Mandela today…

Nelson Mandela

Today, the ANC hosted what many called South Africa’s largest political rally. Over 100,000 people crammed into two stadiums in Ellis Park in Johannesburg: Coca-Cola Stadium and Johannesburg Stadium. I made it into the media centre at around 8:30 a.m., about half an hour before the official start of the rally. People from all over South Africa and beyond gathered in Coca-Cola Stadium mainly to see Jacob Zuma, the man who will most likely ascend to the presidency of South Africa by the end of next week.

It would be an understatement if I said this rally was massive. Just in the press area, I met people from Germany, Madagascar, Zambia and England in a span of a few hours. Right now, I’m watching Al Jazeera’s coverage of the rally and I just finished reading the NYT’s story about the rally. Indeed, this was truly an international event.

What some of us in the newsroom had surmised, but what I still found surprising, was Nelson Mandela’s appearance at today’s Siyanqoba “Victory” Rally. The 90-year-old Madiba, as Mandela is reverently called, was clearly frail, as he had to be helped up to the stage by Jacob Zuma and his ex-wife, Winnie. I had situated myself as close to the stage as possible, and so when the golf cart with Zuma and Mandela rolled into the stadium, I couldn’t see what was going on except that everyone on the field was running. Running toward that golf cart making its way around the stadium toward the stage.

As soon as the cart reached the stage, the media section went crazy. Everyone had figured out by then that Madiba was in the house. I must’ve been elbowed more than few times as photographers and videographers like me jockeyed for a clear shot of the former South African president. There was this one photographer who kept coughing on me, saying “I have TB, you better move to the back.” I sure hope she was kidding and only vying for my spot.

Boxed in and jostled around by competing journalists, I found it nearly impossible to shoot good footage until all the ANC leaders were seated. ANC secretary Gwede Mantashe, Winnie Mandela, Nelson Mandela, Jacob Zuma and other political leaders from COSATU and SACP were in attendance. They all began their rounds speaking and rallying the crowd with praise and liberation songs.