News / Africa
Mugabe received hero's welcome in Soweto, South Africa
10 Apr 2015 at 11:57hrs | Views
Soweto residents who had gathered at the Hector Pieterson Museum to get a glimpse of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe could not contain their excitement when his car passed by.
As soon as they saw the elderly statesman's black BMW with Zimbabwean flags perched on the bonnet, they cheered, clapped their hands and ululated. Some kept shouting, "Halala, Mugabe Halala!"
When he got out of the car, Mugabe walked slowly to the red carpet laid down for him all the way from the parking lot to the memorial.
Some of the people who were there to welcome him were Pieterson's sister, Antoinette, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa, Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu and Telecommunications and Postal Services Minister Siyabonga Cwele.
When he reached the memorial, Mugabe gently laid a bouquet of flowers on it. For some time, Mugabe stood in front of the memorial, reading the inscription written on it. He then bowed his head and walked back to the car.
As he got in, a young man who was one of the many who had gathered there, shouted: "Long live the president!", to which Mugabe slowly and softly responded, "Long live!"
His driver then drove him the short distance to the entrance of the museum, where he was given a tour, and also signed the visitors' book.
When Mugabe left the museum several journalists scurried to get a sound bite from him. His only words: "I don't want to see a white face."
They crowd shouted his name and waved to him, while others raised their firsts in the air.
When Mugabe, who was facing them, raised his fist in the air too, they shouted even more.
Although millions of Zimbabweans live in South Africa after fleeing the terrible conditions in their country, this was only Mugabe's second visit to the country since his last visit when Nelson Mandela was president.
Mugabe's spokesman, George Charamba, said the significance of Mugabe's visit to the museum was because he wanted to reach the soul of the South African people by going to a place that depicted the tragedies of their past.
"If you want to reach the soul of the South African Struggle, it has to be in places like this, which is where the traction of the Struggle was. So the president naturally comes here. After all, the tragedy you are depicting here is the tragedy we have duplicated in Zimbabwe."
Bongani Mkhize came all the way from Pretoria to catch a glimpse of the 91-year-old leader.
As soon as they saw the elderly statesman's black BMW with Zimbabwean flags perched on the bonnet, they cheered, clapped their hands and ululated. Some kept shouting, "Halala, Mugabe Halala!"
When he got out of the car, Mugabe walked slowly to the red carpet laid down for him all the way from the parking lot to the memorial.
Some of the people who were there to welcome him were Pieterson's sister, Antoinette, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa, Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu and Telecommunications and Postal Services Minister Siyabonga Cwele.
When he reached the memorial, Mugabe gently laid a bouquet of flowers on it. For some time, Mugabe stood in front of the memorial, reading the inscription written on it. He then bowed his head and walked back to the car.
As he got in, a young man who was one of the many who had gathered there, shouted: "Long live the president!", to which Mugabe slowly and softly responded, "Long live!"
His driver then drove him the short distance to the entrance of the museum, where he was given a tour, and also signed the visitors' book.
When Mugabe left the museum several journalists scurried to get a sound bite from him. His only words: "I don't want to see a white face."
They crowd shouted his name and waved to him, while others raised their firsts in the air.
When Mugabe, who was facing them, raised his fist in the air too, they shouted even more.
Although millions of Zimbabweans live in South Africa after fleeing the terrible conditions in their country, this was only Mugabe's second visit to the country since his last visit when Nelson Mandela was president.
Mugabe's spokesman, George Charamba, said the significance of Mugabe's visit to the museum was because he wanted to reach the soul of the South African people by going to a place that depicted the tragedies of their past.
"If you want to reach the soul of the South African Struggle, it has to be in places like this, which is where the traction of the Struggle was. So the president naturally comes here. After all, the tragedy you are depicting here is the tragedy we have duplicated in Zimbabwe."
Bongani Mkhize came all the way from Pretoria to catch a glimpse of the 91-year-old leader.
Source - The Star
