SSR Vol5 FIFA- WC-SA

Mandela’s 3rd Wife Graca Machel Though Mandela’s break up with Winnie was reported as very distressing to Mandela, he got married for a third time, to Graca Machel, the widow of the former President of Mozambique Samora Machel, on his 80th birthday, July 18, 1998 Graça Machel lives in Mozambique and uses her name from her previous marriage. She is reluctant to give up status in her native land where she headed the first United Nations study on the impact of war on children and the chair person for the Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa (AWEPA) Executive Committee

It is apparent that Mandela early rep as a ladies man is quite proven. He admitted he was under immense pressure from members of the clergy in making the decision with Graca stating that the members were concerned that the couple was setting a bad example by being in an unwed relationship for over two years. Mandela explained that they kept the wedding secret because they wouldn't have known which of the "numerous friends" to invite, and create a public spectacle with traffic jams in the streets. At first there were the rumours and speculation, until Graca exclusive interview with Ebony South Africa, with whom she did admit to her relationship with Mandela. Photo by: Christine van der Merwe

"I can't deny it. It did happen," she says. Machel also mentioned that after suffering so much grief over the death of her husband she is experiencing a happiness she thought she would never feel again Mandela said that he was being pressure from all sides. "Even in Parliament in my country, deputies told me I should get married," Mandela said. "The pressure became unbearable." Some time after getting married, Mandela announced the end of his public life to allow his three organizations (the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and the Mandela Rhodes Foundation) to carry on his humanitarian work. On his 90th birthday celebrations in 2008, he told the people to pick up the baton of leadership:

“It’s in your hands to make the world a better place” Mandela explained. He changed the 46664 concert slogan – ‘It’s in our hands’, to ‘It’s in your hands’. This clearly showed Mandela’s intention. It was not just about sharing the leadership but it was also taking the focus of the attention away from him. It signaled the beginning of the end and the only lingering question was whether the aging Mandela still had the staying power to witness the 2010 FIFA World Cup on South African soil.

Mandela was rarely seen in public, amidst speculation on the status of his health. In 2009 the first Mandela Day was held on Mandela’s birthday. In November it was declared Nelson Mandela International Day by the United Nations. With everyone awaiting his presence at the first day of the 2010 FIFA World Cup competition to support his Bafana Bafana team compete against Mexico, Mandela had to watch from his home… ( Cont’d on page 46)

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