Qunu, South Africa: South African troops and mounted police patrolled Nelson Mandela's boyhood home of Qunu today, with the village under virtual security lockdown ahead of the peace icon's burial there at the weekend.
Thousands of high profile mourners, including numerous heads of state are expected to descend on the remote location in Eastern Cape province where Mandela will finally be laid to rest on Sunday.
Since the beginning of the week, workers have been busy preparing the site outside the small backwater town of Mthatha.
According to government officials, the venue will accommodate some 5,000 people.
Mthatha Airport manager Anderson Maduneni said the facility, which normally handles two small commercial aircrafts a day, will have to cope with 100 aircraft over the weekend bringing world figures in and out.
"The army has taken over the airport... it will only receive aircraft transporting dignitaries. It's one of the measures that have been put in place to ensure safety," said Maduneni.
The section nearest the Mandela homestead has been cordoned off since last week.
Thousands of high profile mourners, including numerous heads of state are expected to descend on the remote location in Eastern Cape province where Mandela will finally be laid to rest on Sunday.
Since the beginning of the week, workers have been busy preparing the site outside the small backwater town of Mthatha.
According to government officials, the venue will accommodate some 5,000 people.
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Mthatha Airport manager Anderson Maduneni said the facility, which normally handles two small commercial aircrafts a day, will have to cope with 100 aircraft over the weekend bringing world figures in and out.
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"The army has taken over the airport... it will only receive aircraft transporting dignitaries. It's one of the measures that have been put in place to ensure safety," said Maduneni.
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The section nearest the Mandela homestead has been cordoned off since last week.
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