6 minutes, 7 seconds of noise, silence for Mandela

Friday will mark one year since the 95-year-old statesman and Nobel peace prize winner passed away.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation said the event, lead by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, would begin with three minutes and seven seconds of noise using “bells and sirens, instruments, vuvuzelas and loudhailers”, followed by three minutes of silence.

“The time lapse from the ringing of the bells to the end of the moment of silence is six minutes, seven seconds and is symbolic of the 67 years Madiba spent in the service of humanity,” the foundation said in a statement.

The organisation called on “schools, community centres, places of worship, and individuals” to take part in the commemoration.

The event is billed to begin at 0756 GMT and finish at 0803 GMT.

It will follow an interfaith prayer service in Pretoria and the laying of a wreath by veterans from the country’s struggle against apartheid.

Several events have been planned to mark the one year anniversary of Mandela’s death, including a friendly cricket match between South Africa’s national cricket and rugby teams.

The icon of South Africa’s struggle against Apartheid spent much of last year in hospital. His death was met with a worldwide outpouring of grief. -AFP