The mansion inhabited by Nelson Mandela, an iconic figure in the global struggle against apartheid has become abandoned and has fallen into disrepair, a report by eNCA has revealed.
The house was once a sophisticated home that hosted world leaders like pop star Michael Jackson, Oprah Winfrey, and former US First Lady Michelle Obama.
A video shared by eNCA showed parts of the derelict home, including an overgrown garden and a dusty ceiling in the bedroom where Mandela died.
The residence was previously occupied by some of Mandela’s grandchildren, Ndaba, Mbuso, and Andile.
Mandela’s struggle
Mandela’s activism against racial segregation and discrimination began early in his life. He joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1943, advocating for the rights of the Black majority in a country dominated by a white minority government.
In 1994, Mandela became South Africa’s first Black president, leading the nation through a process of reconciliation and transition to majority rule. He emphasized forgiveness and unity, setting an example for the world in overcoming deep-seated racial tensions.
Ten years after the death of anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, eNCA, a South African broadcaster, explored the residence on 12th Avenue Houghton Johannesburg where he spent his later years, to find that it has been abandoned and has fallen into disrepair.
The house was once a sophisticated home that hosted world leaders, and international superstars like pop star Michael Jackson, Oprah Winfrey, and former US first lady Michelle Obama.
A video shared by eNCA showed parts of the derelict home, including an overgrown garden and a dusty ceiling in the bedroom where Mandela died.
The residence had last been occupied by some of Mandela’s grandchildren, Ndaba, Mbuso, and Andile, but they vacated the premises after a controversy erupted with the Nelson Mandela Trust. The city disconnected power due to the failure of Mandela’s trust to settle outstanding utility bills, as reported by eNCA.
“I moved out because we were having issues with the family trust. We kept on having to ask the trustees to pay the water and electricity bills,” Mandela’s grandson Mbuso Mandela, who moved out around 2019, told eNCA.
Several South Africans have taken to social media to express their dismay, urging Mandela’s family and the government to honor and preserve the legacy of the iconic statesman by undertaking the necessary repairs for his former home.
However, another house of Mandela, separated by just a few blocks on 13th Avenue, is now a luxurious boutique hotel named Sanctuary Madiba which pays homage to his life through themed rooms, including one modeled after his Robben Island cell.
