Mandela speaks out for the poor on his 90th birthday
Saturday, 19 July 2008
QUNU, JULY 18 (Agencies): Nelson Mandela celebrated his 90th birthday Friday by urging the wealthy to share their prosperity with the less fortunate and by saying he wished he had been able to spend more time with his family during the anti-apartheid struggle.
Mandela, anti-apartheid icon, Nobel peace laureate and South Africa's first black president, celebrated his birthday Friday by doing something he had indicated he would not do again -- grant an interview to journalists.
A cheerful-looking Mandela welcomed reporters from three organizations, into the sitting room of his home in Qunu, a small village in the rolling hills of South Africa's eastern Cape region where he grew up.
In the interview the anti-apartheid icon was asked if he had a message for the world.
"There are many people in South Africa who are rich and who can share those riches with those not so fortunate who have not been able to conquer poverty," Mandela said.
Sitting with his wife Graca Machel in a lounge of the large home he built in Qunu, Mandela said he was fortunate to have reached 90,but in the countryside and in the towns "poverty has gripped our people.
"If you are poor, you are not likely to live long," he said. At one point, a granddaughter brought in a bowl of flowers andgave Mandela a birthday kiss.
He used a smile to dodge first question of what was his favorite memory from his long life. He did say he was very happy to have lived to be 90.
Mandela credited his longevity to the way he conducted his life.
Mandela, anti-apartheid icon, Nobel peace laureate and South Africa's first black president, celebrated his birthday Friday by doing something he had indicated he would not do again -- grant an interview to journalists.
A cheerful-looking Mandela welcomed reporters from three organizations, into the sitting room of his home in Qunu, a small village in the rolling hills of South Africa's eastern Cape region where he grew up.
In the interview the anti-apartheid icon was asked if he had a message for the world.
"There are many people in South Africa who are rich and who can share those riches with those not so fortunate who have not been able to conquer poverty," Mandela said.
Sitting with his wife Graca Machel in a lounge of the large home he built in Qunu, Mandela said he was fortunate to have reached 90,but in the countryside and in the towns "poverty has gripped our people.
"If you are poor, you are not likely to live long," he said. At one point, a granddaughter brought in a bowl of flowers andgave Mandela a birthday kiss.
He used a smile to dodge first question of what was his favorite memory from his long life. He did say he was very happy to have lived to be 90.
Mandela credited his longevity to the way he conducted his life.