Finally!! The Body of the Late Nelson Mandela(Madiba) get's to its Village.

A casket carrying the body of Nelson Mandela finally arrived at his home village today, where it was greeted by singing and dancing people on the eve of his funeral.

The hearse carrying the liberation hero's flag-draped casket rolled into his family's homestead in Qunu, in South Africa's Eastern Cape province, beneath heavy, overcast skies.
Arriving at around 4pm local time, it was escorted by an enormous convoy of police, military and other vehicles past cheering crowds who had lined the route to pay their respects.
As police and military helicopters buzzed overheard, mourners broke into the South African national anthem as the cortège appeared carrying the remains of South Africa's first black president.

Home at last: Military officers and Nelson Mandela's grandson Mandla Mandela, rear, accompany the casket of the former South African President as it arrives in Qunu

Journey's end: The hearse carrying the coffin of former South African president Nelson Mandela passes by the tent dome set up in Qunu for his funeral tomorrow

Long road: Flanked by motorcycle outriders, the hearse rolls into the Mandela family's homestead in the rural landscape of the anti-apartheid icon's ancestral home

A military guard of honour stands to attention at the Mandela family's homestead in Qunu. Mandela, the revered icon of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and one of the towering political figures of the 20th century, died in Johannesburg on December 5 at age 95

Tradition: Mandela's grandson Mandla Mandela, right, watches as local chiefs escort the lion skin draped casket of former South African President as it arrives at the Mandela residence in Qunu

A last look at the father of the nation: Locals take photos as Mandela's hearse nears Qunu, a small hamlet in South Africa's Eastern Cape province where he grew up

Hero: A woman raises her fist in salute as she watches the hearse carrying her country's first black president drive by on the way to his final resting place

Mandela's memory had earlier been honoured amid pomp and ceremony at an air base in the capital Pretoria, before being taken aboard a military plane to be flown to Eastern Cape with a fighter jet escort.
At Mthatha airport his casket was welcomed by a military guard and placed in a convoy for the 20-mile final journey to Qunu.
Mandela's widow, Graca Machel, and his former wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, tearfully embraced at Mthatha airport when the casket arrived.
Soldiers in full gear, male and female, were stationed on foot on either side of the road from the airport in Mthatha as cows grazed nearby.
Some civilians, many of whom had traveled for hours, were also already lining the route, shielding themselves from the sun with umbrellas.
Many were singing and dancing as Mandela T-shirts were handed out. 
'We got up this morning at 2 a.m. and drove from Port Elizabeth - it's about seven hours - and we got here now. We're waiting on to show our last respects to Madiba,' said Ebrahim Jeftha, using Mandela's clan name.

 

Nelson Mandela's body heads home to Qunu for funeral

Women hold ANC flags and banners as the long convoy bringing Mandela's body home finally arrives in Qunu. As police and military helicopters buzzed overheard, mourners broke into the South African national anthem as the cortège appeared

Locals cheers as Mandela arrives: Iit was escorted by an enormous convoy of police, military and other vehicles, many flashing emergency lights, arriving at about 4pm local time after going past cheering crowds who had lined the route to pay their respects

'Long live the spirit of Nelson Mandela': The crowds chanted old songs and slogans from the anti-apartheid struggle as they watched the body of Mandela roll past

Loved by the people: The motorcade transporting Mandela's body passes through crowds of mourners gathered in the town of Mthatha on its way to Qunu

Mandela had longed to spend his final months in his beloved rural village but instead he had spent them in a hospital in Pretoria and then in his home in Johannesburg where he had remained in critical condition, suffering from lung problems and other ailments, until his death.
In Qunu, residents expressed deep affection for their beloved native son.
'Long live the spirit of Nelson Mandela,' chanted a crowd on a highway near Mandela's compound.
'My president,' they sang.
There were also old songs of the anti-apartheid struggle. 
'Release Mandela from prison,' went the chorus of one.

Africa: Young women dance by the roadside in the small village of Queque, near Qunu, as they wait to watch the funeral procession to sweep by

Patriotism: Mourners wave and cheer as the hearse transporting the flag-draped casket containing Mandela's body as it passes through the town of Mthatha

High security: Soldiers in full combat gear, male and female, were stationed on foot on either side of the road from the airport in Mthatha

Paying respects: Thousands of mourners line the streets of Umthatha as the enormous convoy of police, military and other vehicles sweeps through their town

Figurehead: A South African mourner embraces a poster of Mandela, while waiting with other mourners for the motorcade transporting the body of the former president to pass by in the town of Mthatha. Right, Khanyile Diko cheers while wearing a T-shirt depicting the liberation hero as a scarf around his neck

A celebration of life: Mourners sing, wave their national flag and hold up posters of Mandela as they wait for his funeral cortège to appear

Crowds of mourners cheer as they await the motorcade: Mandela languished in jail for 27 years for his opposition to the racist apartheid regime. Freed in 1990, he emerged to forge a new democratic South Africa by promoting forgiveness and reconciliation

Many people carried small national flags or banners with a smiling image of Mandela. Periodically, police and other official vehicles passed by, heading to the compound.
Khanyisa Qatolo, 28, was born in Qunu and attended children's Christmas parties hosted by Mandela at his home when she was a child in the Nineties.
'I remember his smile,' she said. 'I miss his smile.'
Ms Qatolo said she was disappointed local residents would be unable to go to Mandela's funeral, in line with local custom, and had instead been asked by officials to view the final rites on big video screens in the area.
'The people of the community, they should be there, supporting the family,' she said.
'I feel bad not to go there,' she said.
Milly Viljoen, 43, drove 12 hours through the night with a friend to stand on the roadside overlooking Mandela's compound in Qunu.
'It's befitting to see him to his final resting place,' she said.

Full military honours: Fighter jets escort the military plane carrying the coffin of former South African President Nelson Mandela as it is flown to Mandela's home in the village of Qunu, Eastern Cape

Ms Viljoen, a student activist during apartheid, first saw Mandela when he appeared before an enthralled crowd in Cape Town after he was released in 1990. She met him later when he visited the township school where she was teaching.
'You couldn't help but love the man and be touched and hang onto his every word,' she said.
The late president died in his Johannesburg home on December 5 at age 95.
His body lay in state for three days this week, drawing huge crowds of South Africans who mourned his death and celebrated his successful struggle against apartheid.
Mandela languished in jail for 27 years for his opposition to the racist apartheid regime. Freed in 1990, he emerged to forge a new democratic South Africa by promoting forgiveness and reconciliation.
He became president in 1994 after South Africa's first all-race democratic elections.