Johannesburg – A who’s who of the international stage arrived at the FNB Stadium in Soweto on Tuesday morning for the memorial service for Nelson Mandela.
A sombre Graca Machel was supported by a number of other women as she arrived underground at the stadium, dressed in a black coat, dress and turban.
Mandela’s grandson Ndaba Mandela and other relatives arrived as well.
Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu alighted from a minibus, beaming alongside some of his colleagues from the group known as The Elders, of which Mandela was a founding member.
Dressed in his maroon robes, Tutu held hands with former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari and former UN chief Kofi Annan, accompanied by former US president Jimmy Carter and former Irish president Mary Robinson, as they made their way to a lift.
British Prime Minister David Cameron has already mingled with the media. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan singh has also arrived. US president Barack Obama has also arrived with wife, Geroge W Bush and Hillary Clinton.
Celebrities
South African-born Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron, dressed in white, and U2 frontman and philanthropist Bono, with his trademark pair of red glasses, also made their way into the stadium.
President Jacob Zuma arrived with an entourage, along with a number of senior government and African National Congress officials.
Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe, Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan, India’s President Pranab Mukherjee and Cuba’s President Raul Castro Ruz were among heads of state that arrived.
Long-time friends of Mandela, Ahmed Kathrada and George Bizos, also made their way in.
Former president FW De Klerk arrived with his wife Elita Georgiades.
Former Springbok captain Francois Pienaar was in the stands wearing a formal Springbok blazer, along with current captain Jean de Villiers.
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