The State of the Nation Address (SONA) happens Thursday (8 February), where President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the nation about important issues.

ALSO READ: Why CYRIL RAMAPHOSA is considered a STRUGGLE HERO

Many citizens hope that concerns regarding social grants and SASSA will be at the top of the list.

Here’s what to know about the important, yearly Presidential speech – and what it could mean for government’s future.

Are SASSA concerns addressed at SONA 2024?

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) controls social grant payments, under the Department of Social Development.

ALSO READ: Jobs: Government is advertising vacancies

South Africans hope to have their voices heard. Social grant concerns should be first, say many.

‘Deceased’ grant recipients received millions. Issues with Postbank also affected many throughout Southern Africa.

SASSA: What we know for this year

The social grant agency has announced that Gold Cards remain valid for 2024 – and the nearby future, until otherwise announced.

ALSO READ: WhatsApp: How to contact everyone from KFC to Government

April 2024 will see the lessening of Postbank (cash) payouts, in an attempt to create safer environments for staff and customers.

There have been no date-announcements for a basic income grant.

More about SONA 2024

The SONA 2024 is the yearly Presidential speech.

Nelson Mandela gave the first SONA in 1994, ushering in a new era for the country. Who can still remember this? An important moment to think back to. But what happens now?

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered his first in 2018 – and we have yet to see what he’s going to say for 2024.

Send us your thoughts

Do you have any thoughts to add before, during, or after SONA 2024? Let us know your thoughts on this story at info@thesouthafrican.com.

READ MORE ARTICLES BY FRANCOIS JANSEN (ALEX COYNE)

If you happened to be putting together a short list of leaders who have had the greatest impact on the world, then Nelson Mandela would surely be at or near the top. As we reflect on Nelson Mandela’s life, it is important to revisit some of the most inspiring quotations from South Africa’s beloved former president.

Here is an updated list of his timeless words of wisdom.

1. “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” -Long Walk to Freedom

This quote emphasizes that true courage is not the absence of fear but rather the ability to overcome fear and act despite it. Mandela believed that courage is necessary to confront challenges and fight for what is right

2. “A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.” -Address at the Inauguration of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, 1999.

Mandela recognized the importance of both intellect and compassion. This quote reflects his belief that combining a sharp mind with a compassionate heart is a powerful and effective approach to leadership and making a positive impact in the world.

3. “Freedom cannot be achieved unless women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression.” -Address at the National Women’s Day, 1996

Nelson Mandela said this in his address at the National Women’s Day in 1996. He was speaking about the importance of women’s rights and how they are essential in achieving true freedom. He said that women are often the most oppressed members of society and that their emancipation is necessary for a truly free society.

Mandela’s words are still relevant today. Women continue to face discrimination and oppression in many parts of the world. They are denied access to education, healthcare, and employment. They are also victims of violence and abuse.

4. “To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.” -Speech at the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, 1998.

Mandela firmly believed in the inherent dignity and worth of every individual. This quote highlights his conviction that denying people their fundamental human rights is not only unjust but also an assault on their fundamental humanity.

5. “There is no passion to be found in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” -Letter to Winnie Mandela, 1975.

Mandela believed in the importance of pursuing one’s true, full potential and not settling for mediocrity. This quote encourages individuals to strive for excellence and live a life aligned with their true passion and abilities.

ALSO READ: Six ways to extend the life of your laptop by years: Expert advice

6. “Real leaders must be ready to sacrifice all for the freedom of their people.”– Speech at the Trial, 1962.

Mandela recognized the responsibility of leadership and the sacrifices it may require. He believed that true leaders should be willing to make personal sacrifices for the betterment and freedom of their people.

7. “No person is born hating another person, people must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love.” -Long Walk to Freedom.

Mandela firmly believed in the power of education and empathy. This quote expresses his belief that hate is learned, not innate, and therefore can be unlearned. He emphasized the importance of promoting understanding, compassion, and love among individuals and communities.

8. “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” -Speech at the Gordon Institute of Business Science, 2008.

This quote reflects Mandela’s optimism and determination. He believed that even the most challenging and seemingly impossible tasks can be accomplished with perseverance, hard work, and unwavering belief in one’s abilities.

9. “A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.” -Address at the Closing Ceremony of the International Aids Conference, 2000.

ALSO READ: Seven South African medical inventions you didn’t know about

Mandela advocated for a society that is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable members. This quote suggests that the true measure of a nation’s character lies in how it cares for and uplifts its marginalized and disadvantaged citizens. It underscores the importance of social justice and equality for all.

Nelson Mandela’s words continue to inspire and guide us, reminding us of the power of unity, forgiveness, and the pursuit of justice.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES BY SALVIUS EVARISTER

ALSO READ: Will President Cyril Ramaphosa resign TODAY? He is expected to address the nation soon

Ramaphosa and the black mine worker

A young Ramaphosa organised anti-Apartheid rallies and was arrested in 1974 but he didn’t stop fighting for freedom. His mission was a free, democratic South Africa. After completing his degree in 1981 he joined a trade union. When the government at the time allowed black mine workers to join unions, Ramaphosa established the National Union of Mineworkers in 1982. It was during this time that he fought for a change in labour relations in the mining industry. The focus of the union was fair wage and proper working conditions for black miners.

Becoming a part of the leadership

Ramaphosa was elected secretary general of the ANC in July 1991 after the unbanning of liberation movements. He rose in rank when he headed the ANC delegation which negotiated the end of apartheid in November 1991. After 27 April 1994 Ramaphosa was elected as chairperson of the Constitutional Assembly and was instrumental in drafting the new Constitution. Although he was a success in Parliament he left politics and became a director of New Africa Investments Limited. Nelson Mandela can be heard in many online interviews praising Ramaphosa for his activism.

Cyril the leader of South Africa

The businessman who had close ties to politicians remained loyal to the ANC. On 18 December 2017 he became the president of the African National Congress. Popular around the world for his business acumen, Ramaphosa became the fifth democratically elected president of South Africa on 18 February 2018. Before him, Jacob Zuma was the leader of the ANC. Like many public figures Ramaphosa has always courted controversy.

ALSO READ: Motlanthe rules himself out of returning as Ramaphosa’s replacement

Time for another family meeting?

The theft and alleged cover up of millions of dollars from his Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo two years ago has left the president’s reputation in tatters. He will learn his fate on 6 December 2022 when the National Assembly makes a decision. If the accusations are true, Ramaphosa will thereafter face an impeachment inquiry. The nation waits with bated breath for the president to address them tonight about what happens next.

ALSO READ: Will President Cyril Ramaphosa resign TODAY? He is expected to address the nation soon

ONE OF THE GREATEST STATESMAN

The performance shares a compelling tale of the exceptional milestones of one of the greatest statesman to lead South Africa, Nelson Mandela.

His life story for peace and reconciliation is told through the sterling voices of the Township Opera Company and the spoken word of Bulelwa with Sandile Kamle, as music director.

ALSO READ: Mandela Day: Ladles of Love to take on yet another Guinness World Record

A PRODUCTION ROOTED IN THE LEGACY OF MADIBA’S SPIRIT

Guests can expect Ntyilo-ntyilo, Isizwe Sabathembu and Nkosi Sikelela iAfrica to name a few of the songs performed on the night. Mandela – A More Human Face, is a collaboration of Bulelwa Basse Services and Lyrical Base Project in association with Artscape; a production, which is rooted in the positive legacy of Madiba’s human spirit.

“No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite,” Nelson Mandela.

Tickets can be purchased at Computicket or via Artscape Dial-a-seat 021 421 7695. Tickets: R120 (10% off for pensioners/students and scholars) Madiba shirts and Xhosa traditional attire and accessories will be on sale to raise funds for the performing artists.

In light of this, Twitter users can’t seem to understand how “The father of the nation” — as he was affectionately called — has a World Championship belt when he had never won a single match in his life.

NELSON MANDELA’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BELT STOLEN

According to the publication, the World Championship boxing belt that belonged to former President Nelson Mandela was stolen on 1 July.

When staff members at the Nelson Mandela House in Orlando reported for duty on that day, they noticed that locks appeared to have been tampered with. This is when they noticed that the belt, which is one of the most important artefacts at the house, was missing.

The belt was a gift to Mandela from renowned American boxer, Sugar Ray Leonard.

ALSO READ: Mandela Day: Ladles of Love to take on yet another Guinness World Record

TWEEPS REACT TO NEWS NELLY M’S BELT BEING STOLEN

Soon after the news broke, “Nelly M” started trending. Yes, “Nelly M,” a term the Twitter streets or Ama2000 use to refer to Nelson Mandela.

WAS NELSON MANDELA A PROFESSIONAL BOXER?

In December 2013, SowetanLIVE debunked the myth that Madiba was a boxer. The article was published on 6 December 2013, which was the day after he passed.

As per the outlet, he trained as a boxer at the Donaldson Orlando Community Centre, now the Soweto YMCA, alongside more notable pugilists.

The famous 1953 photograph of a young Mandela was shot while he was sparring with the star of his gym, Jerry Moloi.

“I never did any real fighting after I entered politics,” Mandela recalled in his book, Long Walk to Freedom.

“My main interest was in training; I found the rigorous exercise to be an excellent outlet for tension and stress. After a strenuous workout, I felt both mentally and physically lighter. It was a way of losing myself in something that was not the struggle. After an evening’s workout I would wake up the next morning feeling strong and refreshed, ready to take up the fight again.”

Mandela’s chef shares her lamb chops based in soy sauce recipe

I used to prepare these succulent baked lamb chops for him whenever he spent time at home on a Sunday. This dish always brings back fond memories as Nelson Mandela used to enjoy the rest of his plate with his cutlery but when he got to the lamb chops, he would use his hands to savour each tasty bite. He would not even leave a trace of meat on any bone.

Xoliswa Ndoyiya

The most important tip to get your lamb chops succulent and full of flavour is to lavish the chops generously with soy sauce. It enhances the flavour and makes the meat soft and lip-smackingly delicious. One bite and you will want to lick your plate afterwards to savour the taste.

Serve these baked lamb chops with vegetables of your choice. Mashed potato and a colourful mix of vegetables work well with this dish. You can also grill your veggies in the oven.

Soy sauce baked lamb chops recipe

5 from 2 votes

Recipe by Xoliswa Ndoyiya Course: MainCuisine: GlobalDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4-6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Total time

50

minutes

Ingredients

• 8-12 8-12 lamb chops

• 1 tablespoon 1 olive oil

• 2 cloves 2 garlic, crushed

• 1 cup 1 tomato sauce

• ½ cup ½ soy sauce

• 1 medium 1 onion, cut in rings

• salt and pepper to taste

• fresh oregano

• parsley to garnish

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• In an oven-proof dish rub the chops with salt, pepper and olive oil.
• Arrange the chops flat in the dish and bake or grill for 20 minutes.
• Mix the soy sauce, tomato sauce, onion rings and crushed garlic and add on top of the chops.
• Place back into the oven for 15 minutes or until the onions are caramelised.
• Serve with vegetables of your choice.

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @the.south.african on Instagram and hashtag it #recipes

Like this recipe?

Follow us @thesouthafrican on Pinterest

Looking for more tasty recipes Xoliswa used to prepare for Nelson Mandela? Just have a look at our recipe page for more of her recipes and much more. We have excellent suggestions for you to try. Read more here about how Xoliswa became Nelson Mandela’s personal chef.

If you would like to submit a recipe for publication, please complete our recipe form here.

The initiative will take place simultaneously in two cities on 17 and 18 July, with a gigantic Madiba face being created in Cape Town at the CTICC and a massive South African flag being created in Johannesburg’s Nelson Mandela Square.

HOW TO JOIN THE MANDELA DAY INITIATIVE

Ladles of Love is calling on South Africans to volunteer or contribute. The event will provide multiple opportunities for people to volunteer their 67 minutes for Mandela Day.

To be a part of this world record attempt and contribute to food security for those in need, you can donate 67 minutes of your time at one of the venues for a fee of R150 which will go towards bulk buying of nutritious food.

Alternatively, sponsor five food cans for R100. Volunteer or make your contribution online via Webtickets.

ALSO READ: Chefs With Compassion calls on Mzansi to join the #67000litres movement

LADLES OF LOVE’S RECORD-BREAKING HISTORY

This is not Ladles of Love’s first attempt at a world record. The world record for the ‘longest line of food cans’ was smashed by more than double at the V&A Waterfront on 29 August 2021 with a 6.7km line of 94,560 food cans.

The previous year the world record for the ‘most amount of sandwiches made in one hour’ was broken with 304,000 homemade sandwiches as compared to the previous record of 115,000.

Every year all food raised is distributed to over 200 soup kitchens which collectively feed 30,000 people a day.

To find out more about the campaign, click here.

Hearty oxtail stew

Remember that you can brown the meat a bit before starting the process in the method below for caramelisation. When boiling, you can scoop off some of the fat coming to the top layer. It’s a stew, so you can let it cook on low for a nice long time. Add a pinch of chilli flakes to lift the flavour a bit more without making it spicy. It’s also a great potjiekos recipe which can sit for hours while you feed people snacks and maybe some mulled wine.

A classic winter meal with local South African goodness. Make our hearty oxtail stew this weekend for the family to keep warm and cosy.

Hearty oxtail stew recipe

5 from 3 votes

Recipe by Xoliswa Ndoyiya Course: MainCuisine: GlobalDifficulty: Easy

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

30

minutes

Total time

2

hours 

45

minutes

Ingredients

• 3 kg 3 oxtail (excess fat removed)

• 2 cups 2 hot water

• 5 ml 5 paprika

• 15 ml 15 barbeque spice

• 5 large 5 carrots (about 350 g) peeled and sliced

• 250 g 250 green beans, sliced

• 4 medium 4 potatoes, peeled and quartered or 500 g baby potatoes, cleaned

• 1 large 1 onion, chopped

• 60 g 60 oxtail soup powder

• 3 tbsp 3 tomato puree

• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Put the oxtail in a large pot and add 2 cups of hot water and boil until the water has evaporated. Reduce the heat and let the meat brown in its own fat.
• Add the paprika and barbeque and add more water. Cook over low heat for about 2 hours until the meat is tender. Keep checking if there is still enough liquid to cover the meat and add more water when necessary.
• Add the potatoes and cook until soft.
• Add the carrots, beans and onion.
• Add ½ cup of water to the oxtail soup powder and make a smooth paste.
• Then add to the meat and gently stir and cover the pot to simmer until the vegetables are cooked. This should take about 15 – 20 minutes.
• Season to taste and serve.

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @the.south.african on Instagram and hashtag it #recipes

Like this recipe?

Follow us @thesouthafrican on Pinterest

Looking for more tasty recipes Xoliswa used to prepare for Nelson Mandela? Just have a look at our recipe page for more of her recipes and much more. We have excellent suggestions for you to try. If you want to read more about Xoliswa Ndoyiya’s experiences as Nelson Mandela’s chef, click here.

If you would like to submit a recipe for publication, please complete our recipe form here.

Aromatic farm-style braised chicken suggestions

You’re welcome to seer and brown the chicken pieces before removing them and adding the onion and other ingredients. Add some frozen veggies to add more goodness and if you’re feeling a bit spicy, add some fresh chilis or chilli flakes. It’s the perfect family meal for cold evenings during the week or a relaxing weekend meal. You’re welcome to spice things up as much as you want as this recipe is a great base to work from.

Looking for heartwarming meals for your family during the cold evenings? Our aromatic farm-style braised chicken is the family meal you need right now.

Aromatic farm-style braised chicken recipe

5 from 1 vote

Recipe by Xoliswa Ndoyiya Course: MainCuisine: South AfricanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

45

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 large 1 farm chicken cut into 8 pieces

• 1 medium 1 onion, roughly chopped

• 3 cups 3 hot water

• 1 cube 1 chicken stock dissolved in a cup of warm water

• 2 tbsp 2 flour

• salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Place the chicken portions, onion and water in a large pot to boil. Then, reduce the heat and cook until the chicken is soft and cooked. If, during the cooking process the liquid reduces too much, add more warm water.
• Mix the chicken stock and flour to a paste and add to the chicken.
• Add salt and pepper and allow to simmer for 15 – 30 minutes.
• Serve with samp and beans or dumplings with extra gravy in a cup aside.

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @the.south.african on Instagram and hashtag it #recipes

Like this recipe?

Follow us @thesouthafrican on Pinterest

Looking for more tasty winter family-friendly recipes to stay warm and cosy? Just have a look at our recipe page for more of her recipes and much more. We have excellent suggestions for you to try.

If you would like to submit a recipe for publication, please complete our recipe form here.

Soy sauce adds some great umami flavour without needing too much extra salt. Squeeze some lemon juice onto the lamb chops before they go in which can help with the “grassy” flavours. You can’t go wrong with roasted garlic baby potatoes and a light salad with these Baked Lamb Chops with Soy Sauce. You will need a light side with these chops because they can be quite rich. The lamb chops come out of the oven fully caramelised and with a beautiful sticky glaze.

It’s the perfect weekday meal with your family this summer. Try our Baked Lamb Chops with Soy Sauce for the ultimate treat with some side veggies and roast potatoes.

Baked Lamb Chops with Soy Sauce Recipe

0 from 0 votes

Recipe by Xoliswa Ndoyiya Course: MainCuisine: GlobalDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4-6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Total time

50

minutes

Ingredients

• 8-12 8-12 lamb chops

• 1 tablespoon 1 olive oil

• 2 cloves 2 garlic, crushed

• 1 cup 1 tomato sauce

• ½ cup ½ soy sauce

• 1 medium 1 onion, cut in rings

• salt and pepper to taste

• fresh oregano

• parsley to garnish

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• In an oven-proof dish rub the chops with salt, pepper and olive oil.
• Arrange the chops flat in the dish and bake or grill for 20 minutes.
• Mix the soy sauce, tomato sauce, onion rings and crushed garlic and add on top of the chops.
• Place back into the oven for 15 minutes or until the onions are caramelised.
• Serve with vegetables of your choice.

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @the.south.african on Instagram and hashtag it #recipes

Like this recipe?

Follow us @thesouthafrican on Pinterest

Every family has a favourite recipe that they enjoy once a week and we want to share our favourites. Just have a look at our recipe page for more excellent suggestions for you to try.

If you would like to submit a recipe for publication, please complete our recipe form here.

The Mandela family will use the funds to open a memorial garden near their home in Mthatha.

MANDELA FAMILY AUCTION HIS BELONGINGS

Makaziwe Mandela confirmed that the family has reached the decision to auction the items to generate funds that will help realise the late icon’s dream.

Mandela had the personal vision of a memorial garden created near his home in the village of Qunu, Eastern Cape. The same site will serve as a leading tourist attraction in the province.

“When people come and visit they have to actually deal with their own issues that they have, not just in terms of racism, but also personal issues,” Makaziwe Mandela said.

“When they finish walking the garden they should actually have a sense of what lesson can I take from Nelson Mandela’s life that I take home with me.”

MANDELA SHIRTS ARE NOT A FASHION STATEMENT

While many of Tata’s shirts will be at Guernsey’s auction house on 11 December, an additional amount of the prized items have already debuted at the New York Fashion Institute of Technology’s museum.

The museum’s deputy director, Patricia Mears, underlined the depth of the clothing items shirts. They should not just be targeted to impress peers and strangers for their look and style.

“The Madiba shirts are much more than a fashion statement. They are about our entire world, how we view the world, how we want to advance our society and our cultures,” said Mears.

“And so again, this is a statement way beyond just being about personal enhancement. It is saying something about how we can change the world through dress.”

Included in the 100 Mandela auction items is a high-value letter he penned 45 years ago while the world icon was still incarcerated in the Western Cape.

“You can see how patiently he wrote this out. And then here is the stamp from Robben Island prison. The letter was written to the commanding officer of Robben Island Prison.”

ALSO READ: Beyoncé gets real about social media, self-worth and new music!

MEEK MILL AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM

Robert Rihmeek Williams aka Meek Mill chairs the REFORM alliance with social justice activist Micheal Rubin. REFORM’s founding partners include Grammy-award winning rapper Jay-Z, and businessmen Robert Kraft and Michael Novogratz. 

REFORM focuses on transforming probation and parole in the United States, by aiming to change certain laws. REFORM was officially founded on 23 January 2019. 

REFORM’s journey began with the imprisonment of Meek Mill.

Meek Mill has had run-ins with the law for several reasons. According to Vulture, the rapper was convicted of gun possession and drug dealing in 2008. He was sentenced to 11 to 23 months in jail.

In 2017, he was arrested for allegedly assaulting two people in the St. Louis airport in Missouri. In the same year, he was arrested for popping a wheelie on a dirt bike without a helmet in Manhattan, New York.

MEEK MILL AWARDED NELSON MANDELA HUMANITARIAN AWARD

The Going Bad rapper celebrated winning the award on his Instagram page. The prestigious award was awarded to him on 12 August, at the PPTOW (Plan to take on the world) awards. 

“Bessings.. I got ‘the Nelson Mandela humanitarian award’. Thank you Rip to the great Nelson Mandela”, the rapper wrote. 

Meek Mill is the first rapper to ever receive this prestigious award. 

Other PPTOW members who attended the awards ceremony include Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and singer and entrepreneur Patti Labelle. 

ALSO READ: Inside Steve Harvey and his wife Marjorie’s ‘welcome to SA’ dinner [photos]

MANDELA FREESTYLE

To celebrate his award, the 34-year-old rapper released a passionate music video, titled Mandela Freestyle, on 13 August. The music video features a few snippets of Nelson Mandela and previous news reports of himself. 

“You can’t label me a rapper cause I’m different kid. The only difference is, I’m really making differences. I took my pen and pad and made some businesses,” Meek Mill raps.

The music video has been viewed over one million times on YouTube and is currently trending at No 20 for music.

Watch Meek Mill’s ‘Mandela Freestyle’

Typical day menu for a revered statesman?

So what was a typical day’s menu for one of the world’s most loved and revered statesmen? Madiba would start the day with a fruit platter, with some of his favourites – pawpaw, mango, kiwi and banana.

This would be followed by a bowl of porridge, mixed with nuts and raisins, and a hot breakfast of two fried eggs, lettuce, pork sausage, one rasher bacon and mushroom – all in small or manageable portions. He would enjoy a cup of coffee, alongside a thin slice of freshly baked bread with marmalade jam and no butter.

ALSO READ: Mandela Month with Xoliswa Ndoyiya: Happy Birthday, Madiba!

Mandela joins grandkids for Frosties fun

“One day, after 18 years working for him and him having porridge everyday, he decided to join the grandkids in having Frosties – being sugar-coated, containing colourants all that. I gave in and gave it to him,” Ndoyiya recalls.

“When he wanted it a second time the next day, I refused because it couldn’t be good for him. He then sat me down and said ‘Xoli, I have honoured my mother enough’. I then realised that he was really sticking to his usual porridge to honour his mother and her legacy.”

Lunch menu

Lunch, which would change according to his preference on the day, would be umngqusho (samp and beans) or dumplings and oxtail stew, or umvubo (krummelpap and sour milk).

“Tata always preferred to eat the heavier meals over lunch, giving him time to properly digest and would go for a light supper, like fish and vegetables,” said Ndoyiya.

ALSO READ: Bet you cannot score 100% on this Nelson Mandela quiz

No rice, please

Early into Ndoyiya’s tenure as Madiba’s personal chef, she came to learn that Madiba was not a fan of rice.

“The first meal I cooked for him was orange chicken, vegetables and rice. That’s when I learnt that he wasn’t really a rice person. Wayigqiba (he finished it), but left the rice on the plate,” she said.

“He told me that he much rather enjoyed the chicken and vegetables, but he was so gentle in telling me this because I don’t think he wanted to hurt my feelings.”

GET THE RECIPE: Oxtail stew – A dish Nelson Mandela loved to share

From South Africa with love: ‘Umvubo’ for Mandela

Madiba’s love for umvubo is well known. However, when Ndoyiya got a request from London to package umphokoqo (krummel pap) and sour milk, in what looked like a birthday gift.

“Apparently he was tired of hotel food and would follow up with the people who were to take the food to him to constantly check and ensure that the parcel got to London. It was like he would not accept anything to the contrary,” Ndoyiya recalled, with a chuckle.

Get more Nelson Mandela articles, quizzes and recipes of his favourite food here.

In the Mandela household, this pot roast leg of lamb was very popular among the grandchildren because of the bone in the leg of the lamb. The young ones would usually wait for Granddad to dish up first and then they would all aim for the bone. It usually went along with a friendly rivalry among cousins to get the piece with the bone as they all loved meat on the bone.

This pot roast leg of lamb serves six to eight people. Serve with dumplings or vegetables of your choice. Dumplings are an excellent choice as they soak up all the mouth-watering flavours of this appetising dish.

Perfect to prepare for a special Sunday lunch with your loved ones or as a special meal when you invite guests over to your house.

Pot roast leg of lamb recipe

4 from 3 votes

Recipe by Xoliswa Ndoyiya Course: MainCuisine: GlobalDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

30

minutes

Total time

2

hours 

45

minutes

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg 1.5 leg of lamb on the bone

• 3 cloves 3 garlic, sliced lengthwise

• 750 ml 750 water

• 60 ml 60 lemon juice

• white pepper

• 3 medium 3 carrots, chopped

• 1 stalk 1 celery, chopped

• 2 cubes 2 beef stock dissolved in 3 cups water

• 2 tablespoons 2 olive oil

• 3 3 bay leaves

• 1 medium 1 onion, chopped

Method

• Preheat the oven to 150°C.
• Cut thin slits into the lamb with a sharp knife and insert the garlic slices.
• Season the leg of lamb and rub a little olive oil all over.
• In a high heat saucepan, heat olive oil and place the leg of lamb and brown it very well all over.
• Cook the carrots, onion and celery in the stock separately. When cooked brown, add the bay leaves.
• Cover the leg of lamb with the stock and cook in the oven for 2 hours until the meat is tender.
• Keep checking the liquid and add stock if necessary. Remove from the oven and slice the lamb
  and arrange in a shallow serving shallow.
• Serve with dumplings or vegetables of your choice.

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @the.south.african on Instagram and hashtag it #recipes

Like this recipe?

Follow us @thesouthafrican on Pinterest

Looking for more tasty recipes Xoliswa used to prepare for Nelson Mandela? Just have a look at our recipe page for more of her recipes and much more. We have excellent suggestions for you to try.

If you would like to submit a recipe for publication, please complete our recipe form here.

This month, we have brought you numerous personal stories about the life of Nelson Mandela as experienced and observed by his personal chef, Xoliswa Ndoyiya. Xoliswa was part of the Mandela household for about two decades. You can also try some of her mouth-watering recipes here.

Before attempting this Nelson Mandela quiz, make sure you read more of Xoliswa’s journey with Nelson Mandela here.

This recipe makes use of two baby chickens for that extra soft and succulent taste experience. Combined with lemon to give that zesty tingle on the tongue, this recipe is truly palatable.

I used to prepare this spicy lemon baby chicken recipe for Nelson Mandela and his family from time to time. He was a lover of spicy food, so I always made sure I had a few spicy recipes up my sleeve. He was also very fond of hot curry.

Marinating this spicy lemon baby chicken for an hour as explained in the recipe method is very important to obtain that infusion of strong flavours.

Serve this appetising meal with a colourful garden salad and/or veggies of your choice.

Spicy lemon baby chicken recipe

5 from 2 votes

Recipe by Xoliswa Ndoyiya Course: MainCuisine: GlobalDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4-6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Marinate Time

60

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

55

minutes

Ingredients

• 2 2 baby chickens

• 1 cup 1 fresh lemon juice.

• ½ cup ½ olive oil

• 2 cloves 2 garlic, crushed

• ½ teaspoon ½ paprika

• salt and pepper

• 1 teaspoon 1 dried oregano

• 2 teaspoons 2 crushed dried chillies

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper and paprika.
• Grill the chicken for 30 minutes turning once until golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and cut each into halves.
• Whisk the lemon juice with the oil, chillies, garlic and oregano. Pour over the chicken and leave it to marinate for 1 hour.
• Place the chicken in an ovenproof dish and grill for 5 to minutes or until very brown. Turn each half and baste with the liquid. Grill for a further 2 minutes. You may add a little more lemon and oil to taste.
• Place the chicken in a serving dish. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh oregano.
• Serve with a garden salad or vegetables of your choice.

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @the.south.african on Instagram and hashtag it #recipes

Like this recipe?

Follow us @thesouthafrican on Pinterest

Looking for more tasty recipes Xoliswa used to prepare for Nelson Mandela? Just have a look at our recipe page for more of her recipes and much more. We have excellent suggestions for you to try.

If you would like to submit a recipe for publication, please complete our recipe form here.

Nelson Mandela was very fond of umphokoqo. I used to prepare it for him on a weekly basis. He would not take any excuse from me if I did not ensure that I cooked it for him at least once a week.

Mr Mandela loved this traditional favourite with amasi (ingqaka). When preparing his amasi, I had to ensure that it was really sour, thick and chunky like cottage cheese. I served his amasi on the side so that he could choose how much he wanted to stir into his umphokoqo or crumbly maize meal porridge. That is how he liked this dish.

To prepare amasi, unpasteurised milk is traditionally kept in a calabash and sealed with a stopper that is not too tight. The fermentation process can take two to three weeks (or even more) for people who like it very sour like Madiba. 

Here is the recipe that I used to prepare for Mr Mandela.

Umphokoqo recipe

5 from 2 votes

Recipe by Xoliswa Ndoyiya Course: MainCuisine: South AfricanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Total time

45

minutes

Ingredients

• 500 ml 500 water

• 5 ml 5 salt

• 3 cups 3 maize meal

Method

• Bring the water and salt to boil in a pot.
• Add the maize meal, and cover with a lid and let it boil.
• Once it is boiling, stir with a fork until the water is absorbed. This will create a nice rough texture.
• Cover the pot again and reduce the heat and cook until it is fluffy and cooked. Stir again and cover.
• Cook for another 20 minutes and serve with Amasi (sour milk) on the side so that each person can stir in their own amount.

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @the.south.african on Instagram and hashtag it #recipes

Like this recipe?

Follow us @thesouthafrican on Pinterest

Looking for more tasty recipes Xoliswa used to prepare for Nelson Mandela? Just have a look at our recipe page for more of her recipes and much more. We have excellent suggestions for you to try.

If you would like to submit a recipe for publication, please complete our recipe form here.

I used to prepare Umngqusho on a regular basis for Nelson Mandela. He loved traditional dishes. He even enjoyed this dish when it was served without meat as he believed it was a complete, tasty meal on its own.

When preparing Umngqusho, you cannot be in a hurry as you need the samp and beans to simmer slowly to ensure a soft, creamy result. Also, no matter how tempting, avoid stirring otherwise you end up with an excessively starchy dish that is not appetising at all!

Just make sure to check your pot of Umngqusho from time to time to ensure that the food does not stick to the bottom of the pot. If the samp and beans mixture looks dry, add some water.

Serve Umngqusho with umleqwa or lamb curry for the ultimate taste experience. Enjoy this traditional favourite of Nelson Mandela.

Umngqusho recipe

4 from 7 votes

Recipe by Xoliswa Ndoyiya Course: MainCuisine: South AfricanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4 – 6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

Total time

2

hours 

15

minutes

Ingredients

• 500 g 500 samp, well rinsed

• 800 g 800 dried sugar beans, well rinsed

• water to cover

• 1 small 1 onion, chopped

• ½ cup ½ leeks, chopped

• 2 cubes 2 beef stock

• 3 tablespoons 3 butter

• salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Place the samp and beans together in a pot with water.
• Cover and bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat and cook until soft for at least 2 hours. Do not stir or it will become excessively starchy.
• Keep checking to ensure that the mixture does not stick at the bottom of the pot. Add water if necessary.
• After about an hour, add the onion, leek and stock. Allow simmering until it is soft.
• Add the butter and seasoning and stir with a wooden spoon. It must not be dry.
• Serve with umleqwa or lamb curry.

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @the.south.african on Instagram and hashtag it #recipes

Like this recipe?

Follow us @thesouthafrican on Pinterest

Looking for more tasty recipes Xoliswa used to prepare for Nelson Mandela? Just have a look at our recipe page for more of her recipes and much more. We have excellent suggestions for you to try.

If you would like to submit a recipe for publication, please complete our recipe form here.

‘THANK YOU (CARE FOR THE CARERS)‘

Award-winning singer-songwriter Lloyd Cele wrote and composed a song that thanks healthcare workers for their dedication to helping South Africa fight the COVID-19 virus. The song was also inspired by Mandela Day which is celebrated annually on 18 July.

Speaking about the song, South African Medical Association (Sama) chairperson Dr Angelique Coetzee says many healthcare workers have put their own lives at risk, working long hours to care for their patients.

“We think of those fallen heroes, who had lost their lives through their selfless sacrifice to others who needed their services. We also want to pay tribute to them especially. To acknowledge this, we commissioned a song to bring tribute to all healthcare workers.” 

LLOYD CELE’S INSPIRATION 

Speaking to eNCA about the song, Lloyd explained that he made the song not by personal experience but by a sense of oar. He considered what it must be like for healthcare workers to work long hours. 

“We also are aware that there’s not many of them out there. We’re understaffed in terms of nurses and doctors but they’re out there. They’re constantly putting their lives at risk and they’re full of passion giving everything that they’ve got.” 

LLOYD’S HEARTWARMING LYRICS

Lloyd Cele sings beautifully while playing the piano in the video as he honours healthcare workers who have contributed to ensuring the good health of all South Africans.

The song immediately draws you in as Lloyd narrates what most healthcare workers have been through. 

“We see the tears on your face. The weight of the world on your shoulders. Abandoned your needs for the cause. Saving lives selflessly.” 

The video includes a few images of healthcare workers in hospitals. 

Watch the video here

ALSO READ: Dive into Gigi Lamayne’s new album ‘Mermaids and Stuff’ [listen]

When Mr Mandela’s health started changing, he preferred eating soft food that was easy to swallow. This butternut soup became one of the meals he would frequently request.

Knowing Mr Mandela for years as a person who enjoyed food that required chewing like mealies, samp and beans, I could not believe in later years that all he wanted was butternut soup. Oftentimes, he would be content with this healthy soup for lunch and dinner.

Butternut soup is a soothing meal, especially in the winter months. Pair it with freshly baked bread slathered with a generous knob of butter, and you are all set for an appetising bite.

Enjoy this fragrant soup that was a favourite of Nelson Mandela. Perfect to serve on a cold winter’s evening.

Butternut soup recipe

5 from 1 vote

Recipe by Xoliswa Ndoyiya Course: Starter, MainCuisine: GlobalDifficulty: Easy

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Total time

45

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 kg 1 butternut squash, peeled seeded and roughly chopped

• 2 litres 2 water

• 1 medium 1 onion, finely grated

• 3 cubes 3 chicken stock

• 500 ml 500 fresh cream

• salt and white pepper to taste

Method

• Put the butternut into a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat and cook the butternut until the water has reduced by a third and the butternut is soft to mash. It should take about 20 minutes.
• Transfer the butternut and liquid to a food processor and blend to form a smooth puree.
• Add the onion, stock cube and blend again.
• Return the mixture to the pot and cook gently over medium heat until the onion is cooked through. This takes about 2 minutes.
• Add the cream and warm gently. If the soup is too thick, add a bit of little milk or stock dissolved in water.
• Season and serve.

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @the.south.african on Instagram and hashtag it #recipes

Like this recipe?

Follow us @thesouthafrican on Pinterest

Looking for more tasty recipes Xoliswa used to prepare for Nelson Mandela? Just have a look at our recipe page for more of her recipes and much more. We have excellent suggestions for you to try.

If you would like to submit a recipe for publication, please complete our recipe form here.

The chicken breasts are stuffed with kale and other nutritious veggies whereafter they are fried in a pan to a beautiful golden-brown in a tasty white wine sauce.

I loved preparing this stuffed chicken breast with veggies for Nelson Mandela as a light midweek meal, especially when I was short on time.

Mr Mandela used to say to me, “Early to bed and early to rise”.  He was in the habit to get up very early in the morning and go to bed early as well. So, we had to serve his dinner no later than 6:30 pm in the evening. Thereafter, he would recline in his chair to watch the 7 pm news allowing some time for this light meal to digest.

So, if you are looking for an easy digestible meal, this stuffed chicken breast recipe is for you.

Juicy stuffed chicken breast recipe

5 from 1 vote

Recipe by Xoliswa Ndoyiya Course: MainCuisine: GlobalDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4-6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Total time

45

minutes

Ingredients

• 8 – 12 8 – 12 chicken breasts

• olive oil

• 1 1 lemon

• 1 medium 1 onion, chopped

• 1 small bunch 1 kale, chopped

• 1 cup 1 mushrooms, chopped

• 2 tablespoons 2 dry white wine

• fresh basil leaves

Method

• In a medium frying pan, heat the olive oil.
• When hot, add the onions and sauté until soft.
• Add the kale, garlic and mushrooms. Stir and fry for 3 – 5 minutes.
• Add the white wine and simmer for another 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Sprinkle the chicken breasts with the lemon juice and stuff them with the fried veggies.
• In another medium pan, grill the chicken. When browned on both sides, add the basil leaves and cover the pan. Remove from the stove.
• Serve with baked potatoes and veggies of your choice.

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @the.south.african on Instagram and hashtag it #recipes

Like this recipe?

Follow us @thesouthafrican on Pinterest

Looking for more tasty recipes Xoliswa used to prepare for Nelson Mandela? Just have a look at our recipe page for more of her recipes and much more. We have excellent suggestions for you to try.

If you would like to submit a recipe for publication, please complete our recipe form here.

It is the big day. It is the birthday of one of the world’s most loved leaders, Nelson Mandela.

How Mandela celebrated his birthday

It could never be an ordinary birthday because this was no ordinary man. Mandela household chef, Xoliswa Ndoyiya, fondly recalls how the day that has come to be known as Mandela Day across the globe was typically spent.

“Outside, there would be hooting and just a celebratory vibe. People would drive by and drop off flowers, cards, confectionery and parcels of food,” says Ndoyiya.

Cooking up a storm in Qunu

“Inside the house, we would be cooking up a storm as people would be dropping by to personally wish Tata happy birthday, so we would ensure there was ample food. We would be cooking, baking, yonke lonto (and all that),” Ndoyiya recalls.

“We had to make sure there was bread in case uNjengele (General Bantu Holomisa) drops by. He loved isonka sombako (home baked bread) with butter and jam, and a cup of tea.

“The day was always busy and despite feeling long, it would go by quickly.”

Mandela’s birthday bowl of ‘umvubo’ for supper

On his birthday, Madiba would veer from his ordinary food routine and indulge in whatever birthday delicacies were being served, but would almost always insist on a bowl of umvubo for supper.

“The house would always be milling with people, from family members to guests, including from government. The basic formalities would perhaps be photographs and cake-cutting,” Ndoyiya fondly remembers.

Making a difference

“Throughout the day, Tata would catch up on some of the footage from around the world of how people are spending Mandela Day and making a difference in people’s lives. That would warm his heart.

Madiba and his ‘iwayilesi’

Ndoyiya says after all of the public celebrations, including reading some of the cards he would receive, Madiba would enjoy time with the family. He would often steal himself way to the study for a bit to listen to the news on his thotholo (wireless radio).

“He had this little radio called iwayilesi, and would pull up the aerial and hold it close to his ear to listen to the one o’clock news. At the end of the bulletin, he would fold the aerial and neatly pack the radio away,” recalls Ndoyiya.

“He really was a man of routine and did things the same way all the time.”

‘How many birthdays do I actually have?’

The celebrations would last for days after Madiba’s actual birthday. Some of the excess food gifts would be shared with the needy, to brighten their day in true Madiba fashion. 

“The celebrations would continue for days, to such a point that he would ask ‘kanti ndizalwa kangaphi?’ (how many birthdays do I actually have?),” Ndoyiya remembered with nostalgia.

Red roses from Naomi Campbell

Among the gifts Madiba would receive every year on his birthday was a bunch of red roses from British supermodel Naomi Campbell.

“We jokingly and affectionately called Naomi “Red Roses” as a result because every year without fail, she would have a beautiful bunch of red roses delivered,” says Ndoyiya.

She says it is so heart-warming to see that people still honour Tata’s birthday by engaging in philanthropic work.

“Serving and bettering the lives of others was what Tata did almost his whole life and it is great to see that legacy live on.”

Nelson Mandela Day was officially declared by the United Nations (UN) in November 2009 as a way to honor his legacy and is celebrated by dedicating 67 minutes of your time to global humanitarianism, one for every year of Mandela’s service. 

With the third wave of COVID-19 in addition to the unrest that has been taking place in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Mpumalanga, leaving home may be risky. However, you can still do your 67 minutes from the comfort of your home. 

Here are six ways to participate in Mandela Day without leaving the safety of your home, as per Business Insider. 

1. DONATE WHILE YOU SHOP

Selected retailers and supermarkets allow you to donate when shopping. Pick n Pay, through their Feed The Nation initiative and Shoprite, through their Act for Change fund, are attempting  to help families in need with essential items. 

There are other campaigns such as MySchool, My Village and MyPlanet that allow shoppers to donate to one of the mentioned initiatives at no additional cost. Woolworths is one of the retailers that offer this service. 

You can donate to these initiatives when purchasing goods online via the retailers service delivery apps.

2. MAKE A DIRECT FINANCIAL DONATION

A number of non-profit organisations set up payment gateways that allow donors to contribute financially to the organisation on their website. You could also try donor sites like GivenGain and Backabuddy.

3. BECOME AN ORGAN OR BONE MARROW DONOR 

You could register to become an organ or bone marrow donor from the comfort of your home. To donate an organ you can register on the Organ Donor Foundation here or to become a bone marrow donor you can register on the South African Bone Marrow Registry website here. 

Bone Marrow donors need to be within the ages of 16 to 45. 

4. ONLINE QUIZ

One of the easiest ways to participate in Mandela Day is to complete a simple online quiz. Africa Food for Thought is hosting an online quiz as their Mandela day initiative, the quiz lasts 67 minutes and costs R67 to enter. 

5. COMEDY SHOW

Cotlands partnered with South African comedians to do a 67 minute virtual event for Mandela Day called the Laugh for Change event. The show features a range of comedians from Kagiso KG Mokgadi to Chester Missing who recently publicly questioned Duduzane Zuma for his “loot carefully” advice.

You can book your ticket at Quicket for R100 and the show can be watched from 17 July- 31 July.

6. GAMING

Givengain is using #GameForFood to encourage gamers and live streamers to use their platform to set up a fundraising project on their platform. GivenGain provides registered users with a live-streaming widget plugin that will allow gamers to broadcast any activity, show incoming donations in real time and thank the donors.

ALSO READ: R75 for bread? Here’s what KZN has been paying for basics this week

To commemorate the birthday of Nelson Mandela, the Ndlovu Youth Choir released their version of Johnny Clegg and Savuka’s Asimbonanga, sharing a message of hope with their fans on Mandela Day:

“Happy Birthday Tata Nelson Mandela. May your spirit of Ubuntu shine down on us. ‘The heroes are those who make peace and build’,” they wrote, quoting one of Mandela’s many messages of peace. 

Watch Ndlovu Youth Choir cover Asimbonanga  

Madiba’s messages of peace  

Last week, as riots and looting brought out the worst in South Africans, the Ndlovu Youth Choir  released an impromptu recording of Mangisondele – which means “Lord bring us closer to you”. 

As the rioting and chaos that engulfed KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Gauteng last week appears to subside, South Africans across the country have now taken on the challenge of putting in 67-minutes of activism on Mandela Day, hopefully marking a turning point iaway from South Africa’s recent turbulence. 

On Facebook, the Ndlovu Youth Choir added another of Madiba’s messages to inspire equality and compassion among all who call South Africa home. 

“No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite,” they wrote. 

The Ndlovu Youth Choir is from a small town in Limpopo and since its inception in 2009, “have profoundly affected the lives of the choristers and demonstrates the potential of any human being to achieve excellence no matter their background, education or place of birth,” reads their official website. 

“From its humble beginnings as an after-school activity, the choir has evolved into a truly outstanding professional ensemble.” 

Don’t miss out on the personal stories about Nelson Mandela’s life from the viewpoint of his personal chef, Xoliswa Ndoyiya, who cooked for him for nearly two decades. Xoliswa also shares some of Madiba’s favourite recipes which you can try at home.

Before attempting this Nelson Mandela quiz, make sure you read more of Xoliswa’s journey with Nelson Mandela here.

Stay tuned in for more Mandela quizzes coming your way soon!

The sneakers are a re-adaptation of the Hi-Tec Wimbledon, known then as the Wimbledon’s, in which The white shoes with the low-cut tennis silhouette were worn by Mandela in the 1990s.

ALSO READ: Trek4Mandela climbers on their way to summit Kilimanjaro for Mandela Day

THE HISTORY OF THE WIMBLEDON’S AND MANDELA

According to an online sneaker’s publication, Sneaker Freaker, Hi-Tec founder Frank van Wezel bought Mandela’s original pair at an auction in 1996. The famous pair is now displayed in the storefront window at the brand’s Stellenbosch store.

Freedom 67s: More than just a sneaker

The article also noted that Hi-Tec product designer Gordon Stokes understood that the development of the Freedom 67 wasn’t quite as straightforward as designing any other shoe as the Hi-Tec team knew that a project of this magnitude needed to be treated with the utmost thought and dignity.

“The challenge was not only about re-creating his sneaker, but creating an object that paid homage to an incredible human being, a man that has dedicated his life to freedom for all,” Stokes tells Sneaker Freaker.

“Not only was Mandela fighting against apartheid, but he was also fighting for a better world, in which the freedom, justice and dignity of all were respected. The shoe had to be more than just a sneaker but needed to tell a story, from authentic messaging to significant symbolism,” he added.

RE-WORKING A CLASSIC

Not having Mandela’s original pair to physically reference from, the Hi-Tec design team faced an uphill battle to design the Freedom 67s as closely as possible to Mandela’s Wimbledon’s.

“From the graphic elements, materials, sole and midsole, colour-blocking, as well as sizing, everything had to be perfect. [Even] the packaging, we had to treat with the same attention to detail as that of the sneaker, conveying consistent messaging thoughout this project. Mandela’s legacy had to be respected in the body of this development, as much as it was to honour what he stood for,” says Stokes.

The sneakers have been well modernised. The sole is now a clear blue colour, that represents freedom and transparency. The logo is now predominant white, with touches of blue throughout the logo. It also has a leisurewear feel to it, whereas the original version looked like a proper squash or tennis 1990s performance shoe.

KWESTA AND OTHER ‘FREEDOM SHARED’ AMBASSADORS

Hi-Tec has called on creatives Karabo Poppy, Trevor Stuurman, rapper Kwesta, actor Atandwa Kani and others to help them with the Freedom Shared campaign.

PROCEEDS OF AUCTION TO BENEFIT NELSON MANDELA CHILDREN’S FUND

There will be 67 units of the sneakers and the 67th pair will be auctioned on Mandela Day and will be live for 67 hours as a symbol of Mandela’s 67-year fight for social justice in South Africa. Proceeds from that auction will be donated to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.

There was a day Mr Mandela left home early in the morning and travelled to Cape Town and we were expecting him to come back the same evening. When he came back, we were concerned when we noticed that his lips were swollen.

We learned that he had a fish dish in Cape Town that day but we were trying to figure out why his lips were swollen because I used to serve him fish at home as well. It later came to light that he had shellfish in Cape Town to which he had an allergic reaction.

It took some time after that for Mr Mandela to start eating fish again. Grilled hake and yellow tail were some of his favourites and safe options for him.  

Serve this grilled fish with veggies of your choice or a fresh salad.

Grilled fish recipe

5 from 1 vote

Recipe by Xoliswa Ndoyiya Course: MainCuisine: GlobalDifficulty: Easy

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Total time

25

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1 hake or yellow tail

• lemon juice

• salt and pepper

• olive oil

• 2 tablespoons 2 butter

• lemons slices to garnish

Method

• Sprinkle the fish with lemon juice on both sides.
• Season the fish with salt and pepper.
• Heat the olive oil in a grilling pan on a high heat.
• When the pan is hot, place the fish in it and grill for 8 – 10 minutes.
• Use the rest of the lemon juice to make lemon butter. Warm up the butter, then add the lemon juice and pour over the fish.
• Garnish with lemon slices and serve with a green salad.

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @the.south.african on Instagram and hashtag it #recipes

Like this recipe?

Follow us @thesouthafrican on Pinterest

Looking for more tasty recipes Xoliswa used to prepare for Nelson Mandela? Just have a look at our recipe page for more of her recipes and much more. We have excellent suggestions for you to try.

If you would like to submit a recipe for publication, please complete our recipe form here.

Nelson Mandela enjoyed traditional meals from time to time. Whenever I cooked this traditional meal for him, I would make sure that there was “umhluzi” or traditional meat gravy with no spices in a cup next to his plate. If I omitted the cup of gravy next to his plate, he would ask me, “iBingaseli na?” meaning, “Was the animal not drinking?” What he meant was that the meat was dry without gravy.

I used to serve dumplings with traditional farm chicken to Mr Mandela.

If you have never cooked these farm chickens, make sure you cook the meat long enough as it tends to be a bit chewy if not cooked long enough.

Traditional farm chicken recipe

4 from 2 votes

Recipe by Xoliswa Ndoyiya Course: MainCuisine: South AfricanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

45

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 large 1 farm chicken cut into 8 pieces

• 1 medium 1 onion, roughly chopped

• 3 cups 3 hot water

• 1 cube 1 chicken stock dissolved in a cup of warm water

• 2 tablespoons 2 flour

• salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Place the chicken portions, onion and water in a large pot to boil. Then, reduce the heat and cook until the chicken is soft and cooked. If, during the cooking process the liquid reduces too much, add more warm water.
• Mix the chicken stock and flour to a paste and add to the chicken.
• Add salt and pepper and allow to simmer for 15 – 30 minutes.
• Serve with samp and beans or dumplings with extra gravy in a cup aside.

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @the.south.african on Instagram and hashtag it #recipes

Like this recipe?

Follow us @thesouthafrican on Pinterest

Looking for more tasty recipes Xoliswa used to prepare for Nelson Mandela? Just have a look at our recipe page for more of her recipes and much more. We have excellent suggestions for you to try.

If you would like to submit a recipe for publication, please complete our recipe form here.

The Black Motion duo of Thabo Mabogwane and Bongani “Murda Bongz” Mohosane was the latest South African music act to grace the Tiny Desk Concerts stage. 

Making the performance even more significant, was that it was recorded at Nelson Mandela’s former residence in Houghton, Johannesburg. 

ALSO READ: Sanctuary Mandela: Madiba’s presidential home is now a luxury hotel [photos]

TINY DESK (HOME) EDITION

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, NPR has been unable to host audiences at their Tiny Desk Concerts. The concerts that used to be hosted in Washington, DC but has since introduced a home-style edition allowing viewers to connect with their favourite musicians virtually. 

Expressing his excitement for the Tiny Desk performance, Murda Bongz told TshisaLive that they have been in the music industry for more than 10 years showcasing their passion and love for the African continent. 

“Our journey continues and we are proud to have been given this opportunity to be on NPR Tiny Desk.”

BLACK MOTION STEAL THE SHOW

The powerful music duo delivered a heartwarming performance on Tiny Desk. Black Motion opened the concert with Mayibuye iAfrica which is a cry for Africa to return to its culture and history. The song was carried vocally by these three amazing singers who certainly stole the show.

Following Mayibuye iAfrica they performed their long-standing hit Rainbow that took over the summer of 2017. A number of popular South African vocalists joined Black Motion to perform their collaborations with the award winning duo. 

Singer-songwriter Msaki joined Black Motion as they performed Marry Me from their latest album The Healers: The Last Chapter. Brendan Praise joined the performance after Msaki and performed Joy Joy with Black Motion. 

Notable vocalists Nokwazi Dlamini and Tabia also joined Black Motion’s performance to perform their collaborations with Black Motion. 

SA ARTISTS ON TINY DESK 

South Africa has had a few of artists feature on Tiny Desk in the past and they have delivered stellar performances. 

Tiny Desk has previously hosted the Black Coffee, Nasty C, Prince Kaybee and Ricky Tyler.

Watch Black Motion’s Tiny Desk performance here

ALSO READ: What ‘killed’ kwaito…Or is it still alive in amapiano and hip-hop?

According to The Nelson Mandela Foundation, Trek4Mandela was founded in 2012 by South African mountaineer Sibusiso Vilane and Richard Mabaso, CEO of the Ibumba Foundation. Each year, the Imbumba Foundation has been taking a team to Tanzania to trek Kilimanjaro. And this year is no different.

Summiting Kilimanjaro for Mandela Day

The Trek4Mandela team will be attempting the summit of Mount. Kilimanjaro on 18 July 2021, as an inspirational climb and to continue to support the fight against period poverty, which has become more paramount due to the global pandemic.

Through the 2021 Expedition, the team hopes to reach an additional one million girl learners through their Caring4Girls programme: (100 000 girl learners from each of the nine South African provinces, 50 000 girl learners from Tanzania and a further 50 000 from Swaziland, Mozambique, Namibia, Lesotho and Botswana).

“Our social challenges like sanitation for underprivileged girls are still here, so it is important that we go to climb Kilimanjaro during the month of July as we have done in the past eight years,” Sibusiso Vilane, adventurer, mountaineer, and 2021 Trek4Mandela expedition leader told IOL. “The mountain is safe, and we are using a less crowded route too.

“COVID-19 has become a part of our lives, the challenges we had before are still there. Therefore, it is critically important for us not to use it as an excuse not to go climb mountains.

“People have just come back from climbing and safely submitting Mount Everest and K2. Lots of people have been climbing Kilimanjaro even last year and throughout the COVID-19 period. “

Thuli Madonsela joins in

Meanwhile former South African Public Protector and Humanitarian, Professor Thuli Madonsela has committed to partaking in this year’s 2021 expedition after completing the Trek4Mandela summit on Women’s Day 2019.

“I’m going back to summit Kilimanjaro under the Trek4Mandela Caring4Girls expedition to raise funds to end period poverty for girls in honour of Nelson Mandela’s birthday and explanatory ubuntu reflected in selfless service to humanity and my quest is also unfinished personal business with Kilimanjaro and my quest to rally all-around an all-hands-on-deck collaboration to accelerate progress on social justice for all with no one left behind.”

‘Ukutya kwasekhaya’: Nelson Mandela was a traditionalist at heart

Nelson Mandela, while a man of stature with international appeal, was a traditionalist at heart.

Having endured more than two-and-a-half decades of prison food, he simply longed for the traditional home-style food he grew up on in the Eastern Cape. And, from November 1992, it became Ndoyiya’s job to whip up the ukutya kwasekhaya (home-cooked food) that he had missed for so many years.

“As you know, ulusu (tripe), umsila wenkomo (oxtail stew), umngqusho (samp and beans) nomvubo (krummel pap with sour milk) were among his favourites,” says Ndoyiya.

“His mvubo was not with amasi nje (just any kind of sour milk), but it had to be with the kind of sour milk etshoqoleyo, ebalekisa iindlathi (really sour, making the salivary glands go into overdrive) and really thick.”

Ndoyiya says Madiba loved amasi eselwa (unpasteurized cow’s milk fermented in a calabash container) and, as a result, she had her own calabash container for this precise reason.

What did Xoliswa dish up for Mandela’s international guests?

Madiba’s love for his traditional food would sometimes outweigh efforts to accommodate, or even impress, some of his international visitors.

“When we would be hosting, I had to talk to him before cooking for guests that ‘Tata, kuza kuza abantu iindwend ke (we will have people coming from abroad), so we will cook a more accommodating meal’,” recalls Ndoyiya.

 “But he would still insist of his firm favourites … and guests would end up eating what he would eat.”

With many visitors of international renown and stature to Madiba’s homes in Houghton, Johannesburg, and Qunu, near Mthatha, Ndoyiya has rubbed shoulders – and hips – with some of the global cream of the crop.

Bill Clinton and Tata’s tripe

She says she will never forget former US president Bill Clinton’s visit, just a day after Madiba’s inauguration. There seemed to have been a change of plans with regards to the venue for a brief meeting.

“We had already prepared Tata’s meal, as the dignitaries were staying at a guesthouse. Tata invited Bill the day after his inauguration and, as he was bringing him over, he asked ‘ulusu lwam lusekhona? (is there still some of my leftover tripe?’ and I was gobsmacked!”

“He offered Bill and, to my surprise, he ate from all the dishes on offer, including Tata’s tripe. It was always so satisfying when Tata’s guests would delve into whatever meal he was eating,” she laughed.

Oprah Winfrey

Media mogul Oprah Winfrey was a fave in the Mandela household, to a point where she became like an honorary daughter to Madiba. Sharing a similar value system and philanthropic nature with Tata, Oprah would often stay in the house when visiting the country.

“She was known as the child of the house and she would eat everything that we made. She was always hyper and loves to be in the kitchen with us while we cook, and we would be bumping into each other as she went around tasting everything. She’s just such an ordinary woman,” recalls Ndoyiya.

Homegrown guests

Basetsana Khumalo, Ahmed Kathrada and Walter Sisulu

“Basetsana Khumalo was also like a child of the house. She loves roast potatoes and we would make sure every time she came over, we had roast potatoes.”

His comrades were easy to cater for as their tastes were similar to Madiba’s. Fellow Rivonia Trialists Ahmed Kathrada and Walter Sisulu were regulars.

“Tat’ uKathrada, even before asking how we are, would want to make sure there was oxtail stew, while Tat’ uSisulu would always scold us and remind us that he’s not a horse when we serve him green salad.”

GET THE RECIPE! Oxtail stew – A dish Nelson Mandela loved to share

As we are building up to Nelson Mandela’s birthday commemorated on 18 July, we bring you a variety of personal stories about Nelson Mandela’s life from the viewpoint of his personal chef, Xoliswa Ndoyiya. We are also sharing some of his favourite recipes you can try out at home.

Make sure you read more of Xoliswa’s journey with Nelson Mandela here before completing this week’s Nelson Mandela quiz.

Keep an eye out for more fun quizzes coming your way!

I used to prepare these succulent baked lamb chops for him whenever he spent time at home on a Sunday. This dish always brings back fond memories as Nelson Mandela used to enjoy the rest of his plate with his cutlery but when he got to the lamb chops, he would use his hands to savour each tasty bite. He would not even leave a trace of meat on any bone.

The secret to getting these baked lamb chops irresistible is locked in the piquant soy sauce. Make sure you lavish the chops generously with the soy sauce before you pop them back into the oven for the last 15 minutes.

Serve these baked lamb chops with vegetables of your choice. I love serving it with mashed potato and a colourful mix of vegetables to ensure a balanced meal.

Soy sauce baked lamb chops recipe

4 from 2 votes

Recipe by Xoliswa Ndoyiya Course: MainCuisine: GlobalDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4-6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Total time

50

minutes

Ingredients

• 8-12 8-12 lamb chops

• 1 tablespoon 1 olive oil

• 2 cloves 2 garlic, crushed

• 1 cup 1 tomato sauce

• ½ cup ½ soy sauce

• 1 medium 1 onion, cut in rings

• salt and pepper to taste

• fresh oregano

• parsley to garnish

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• In an oven-proof dish rub the chops with salt, pepper and olive oil.
• Arrange the chops flat in the dish and bake or grill for 20 minutes.
• Mix the soy sauce, tomato sauce, onion rings and crushed garlic and add on top of the chops.
• Place back into the oven for 15 minutes or until the onions are caramelised.
• Serve with vegetables of your choice.

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @the.south.african on Instagram and hashtag it #recipes

Like this recipe?

Follow us @thesouthafrican on Pinterest

Looking for more tasty recipes Xoliswa used to prepare for Nelson Mandela? Just have a look at our recipe page for more of her recipes and much more. We have excellent suggestions for you to try. Read more here about how Xoliswa became Nelson Mandela’s personal chef.

If you would like to submit a recipe for publication, please complete our recipe form here.

Xoliswa’s close friend and mkhaya (homegirl), Gloria Nocanda, who was already working as part of the cooking team for the man poised to lead South Africa as its first democratically elected president, told her that her employer was in the market for a cook who would prepare traditional home-cooked meals.

Start of it all: Xoliswa Ndoyiya’s Shell House interview

Nocanda gave the name and address of the building she was to go to – Shell House, at 91 Plein Street, in central Johannesburg. This was the African National Congress (ANC) headquarters from the time of the party’s unbanning until 1997, when it moved to its current headquarters on Sauer Street.

“I didn’t know who exactly I was going to meet. When I got there, I felt uncomfortable as there were a lot of men who had ubuso obungathyilekanga (“rather closed faces”). I told them that I was there to meet Gloria.”

The ‘possessive’ chef’s ‘biggest and longest secret’

Ndoyiya goes on to tell how the experience with the unknown, pokerfaced men ended up being an interview-cum-security-check.

“I was asked whether I’m able to keep a secret; and what is the biggest and longest secret I’ve ever kept. I told them I definitely can keep a secret, and that I couldn’t answer the second part of their question. So I didn’t tell them what the secret was, and I think that scored me points,” she recalled.

Poisoning threat

She was then asked what she would do if she landed a job that would see her cook for high-profile people, for whom the threat of poisoning was real. 

“I told them that I’m a very possessive cook. I never leave my pots unattended until I dish out and the food is served.”

Ndoyiya believes it was this that landed her the job of cooking for one of the world’s most famous former political prisoners and most revered leaders of the 20th century in November 1992.

Meeting Mandela

As they led her to where Tat’ uMandela was, unbeknown to her, one of the men asked why she was so trusting of them as, after all, they could be leading her to her death.

She calmly responded: “You have no reason to kill me. I’m not a threat to you.”

When the door opened to reveal the towering figure – in more ways than one – of Nelson Mandela, Ndoyiya was paralysed with shock.

“I saw uTata and I just froze. I just couldn’t move another inch,” she laughed.

“He stood up to come and greet me, and I was shocked that he would do that for me, a young woman.

‘I hear you’re a great cook’

“He said: ‘I hear you’re a great cook. Can you cook for me?’ I said: ‘Yes.’ And he said: ‘You have got the job.’

“I could not believe it.”

MAKE XOLISWA’S OXTAIL RECIPE! Oxtail stew – A dish Nelson Mandela loved to share

Background check and cooking incognito

While Ndoyiya thought that was all it took to land the job, she was shocked to learn that the intelligence team had done a thorough background check on her.

“I remember my mother calling me, telling me there were people who had come by the house asking about me and my family. So they had used their intelligence to research me, and during all that, it turned out that they happened to know my brother, who was very active in the struggle for liberation,” she said.

While her immediate family knew who she worked for, it was one of their best-kept secrets. For the longest time, people also did not know who was cooking for Madiba.

ALSO READ: Mandela Month with Xoliswa Ndoyiya: From chef to chief of Madiba’s kitchen

Nelson Mandela used to love oxtail stew with samp and beans. Whenever his friends and comrades would come and visit him, this is the meal he would like to share with them. One of his friends, Mr Ahmed Kathrada, told me that after tasting my oxtail stew for the first time, he always wished that he would be served oxtail for lunch when he visited Mr Mandela. He would even take some with him on his way back home.

I always ensured to prepare enough food as Mr Mandela was generous and loved sharing his meals with others.

Try this delicious oxtail stew as a palatable winter warmer and witness the delight each bite brings.

Oxtail stew recipe

5 from 2 votes

Recipe by Xoliswa Ndoyiya Course: MainCuisine: GlobalDifficulty: Easy

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

30

minutes

Total time

2

hours 

45

minutes

Ingredients

• 3 kg 3 oxtail (excess fat removed)

• 2 cups 2 hot water

• 5 ml 5 paprika

• 15 ml 15 barbeque spice

• 5 large 5 carrots (about 350 g) peeled and sliced

• 250 g 250 green beans, sliced

• 4 medium 4 potatoes, peeled and quartered or 500 g baby potatoes, cleaned

• 1 large 1 onion, chopped

• 60 g 60 oxtail soup powder

• 3 tablespoons 3 tomato puree

• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Put the oxtail in a large pot and add 2 cups of hot water and boil until the water has evaporated. Reduce the heat and let the meat brown in its own fat.
• Add the paprika and barbeque and add more water. Cook over low heat for about 2 hours until the meat is tender. Keep checking if there is still enough liquid to cover the meat and add more water when necessary.
• Add the potatoes and cook until soft.
• Add the carrots, beans and onion.
• Add ½ cup of water to the oxtail soup powder and make a smooth paste.
• Then add to the meat and gently stir and cover the pot to simmer until the vegetables are cooked. This should take about 15 – 20 minutes.
• Season to taste and serve.

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @the.south.african on Instagram and hashtag it #recipes

Like this recipe?

Follow us @thesouthafrican on Pinterest

Looking for more tasty recipes Xoliswa used to prepare for Nelson Mandela? Just have a look at our recipe page for more of her recipes and much more. We have excellent suggestions for you to try. If you want to read more about Xoliswa Ndoyiya’s experiences as Nelson Mandela’s chef, click here.

If you would like to submit a recipe for publication, please complete our recipe form here.

However, that all changed when, as a pupil at Nzimankulu High School, she was bitten by the cooking bug after being introduced to Home Economics. Ndoyiya already knew her way around the kitchen because, as the eldest daughter, she would always help her mother maintain the home and keep the family’s tummies full.

‘The kitchen became my happy place’ – Xoliswa Ndoyiya

“At home, as the eldest girl, the kitchen duties rested with me, especially when my mom was at work. So when I started doing Home Economics at school, I realised that I actually enjoyed cooking. The kitchen became my happy place,” she says.

The ensuing passion for cooking would change the course of her life forever.

Early years: From ‘Deputy Mother’ to hotel chef

Ndoyiya, who is known across the world as former president Nelson Mandela’s personal and family chef, grew up in Ezibeleni township in Komani.

Hers was a typical black household upbringing. She is the fourth of five children, with three older brothers, and working-class parents. She, herself, began her professional career as a domestic worker.

“As the eldest daughter, you end up almost becoming like a Deputy Mother; and at home, we were a bit old school, so some chores were reserved for the girls,” she says.

Culinary school and Coronation Hotel

Ndoyiya became increasingly comfortable in the kitchen, deriving a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction each time a plate she cooked was returned empty. She gradually improved her cooking skills through, among others, attending a Jewish culinary school sponsored by her then employers.

Her first job as a chef was at the Coronation Hotel, in Johannesburg.

“I felt indebted to the family that put me through culinary school and felt a bit guilty leaving them to take on the new job. I’m very happy that I did, though, because that hotel was a great training ground for me as a professional chef,” she says.

‘Mkhaya’ Gloria Nocanda

It was while working here that Ndoyiya was alerted to an amazing job opportunity by her mkhaya (homegirl) and close friend, Gloria Nocanda.

“We were from the same area back home and, mos, when you are away from home, you just look out for each other. She was a cook herself and told me to go Shell House [the former ANC headquarters in Johannesburg],” she says.

Meeting Mandela

After a rather puzzling experience at Shell House where she was unwittingly subjected to an interview-cum-security-check, she met Tat’ uMandela. This was to be the beginning of at least two decades of preparing meals for one of the most revered leaders of the 20th century.

“That entire experience changed my life. I was privileged to be in the daily presence of a man who was a global icon, but was so humble and always wanted to know how your day was, whereas he was the one going about everyday trying to change the world,” Ndoyiya fondly recalls.

“He was not selfish and loved to share everything, including wisdoms. UTata was always interested to know how my family was doing back home, and because I was far from home, he kind of filled the gap of my parents.”

Restaurant dreams and Mandela’s favourite meals

Since Madiba’s passing eight years ago, Ndoyiya’s life took another turn.

No longer cooking for Madiba, she had a brief stint at the Department of Public Works, before joining the Presidency cooking team preparing meals for former president Jacob Zuma and, until shortly after President Cyril Ramaphosa began his term in 2018.

Having been unemployed for about three years, Ndoyiya, who co-authored the cookbook Ukutya Kwasekhaya: Tastes from Nelson Mandela’s Kitchen, dreams of opening a restaurant where she would keep sharing some of the renowned statesman’s favourite meals.

‘Xoli, because that delicious meal…’

“I’ve always believed that working for Tata was my small way of thanking him for his sacrifices for the liberation of our country, and in a way, my tiny contribution to the amazing work he did to try improve people’s lives, especially children,” says Ndoyiya.

“I cannot describe to you how amazing it felt when, after he had hosted some of these famous people and other donors to his many causes, he would call me and sit me down to say: ‘Xoli, because that delicious meal that they enjoyed so much, you’ve helped raised, for example, R2 million to help children’.”

“That made me feel like my cooking was more than just that. It contributed to something bigger than me.”

Keeping the legacy alive

Ndoyiya, who is a single mother putting her youngest two children through high school, says a restaurant – and at some point a culinary school – would be her way of keeping Madiba’s legacy alive.

“To Tata, food was also his way of expressing love, and it would be an honour for me to spread some of that love by serving his most loved meals to the masses,” she says.

MAKE XOLISWA’S OXTAIL RECIPE! Oxtail stew – A dish Nelson Mandela loved to share

Sanctuary Mandela: From Madiba’s home to boutique hotel

According to IOL, the home of Nelson Mandela has been converted into a luxury hotel. The home saw the former president live there before and during his presidency.

Now, the boutique hotel will celebrate the late South African president and offer spaces for reflection, healing and thought-provoking experiences inspired by his life. John O’Ceallaigh writes that this is the home where Mandela hosted the likes of Michelle Obama and Bill Clinton and it was in the surrounding streets that mourners spontaneously congregated when news of his death was announced back in 2013.

“Guests at the property will literally walk in his footsteps and the aforementioned restaurant will serve some of his favourite dishes,” he wrote further.

Tranquillity, heritage and mindful experiences

What’s more, each of the rooms commemorates Mandela’s many names. The rooms come kitted with modern comforts like wifi, two single beds or a king-size bed, flat-screen TV, aircon and shower facilities. There is also a Presidential Suite that boasts 54square metres of space.

Sanctuary Mandela celebrates life of late statesman

Jerry Mabena, CEO of Thebe Tourism Group, told IOL that Sanctuary Mandela promises endless moments of healing and reflection.

“The place that celebrates the life of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, known for his role in fighting apartheid, his 27-year imprisonment, being the president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and father of the nation, peacemaker, Madiba or simply Tata.

“Being one of the only presidential homes that members of the public can stay in, Sanctuary Mandela is truly unique. Every corner of the hotel is envisaged to provide the perfect combination. Here, guests can dine on Madiba’s favourite cuisine, soul-search and gain historic insights,” he said.

One of these historic insights includes the opportunity to dine with Madiba’s personal cook. She’ll be sharing details of the icon’s favourite meals, inspiring stories of his time at this historic site and more.

Bookings start at R4 000 per night in a Deluxe Studio while stays in the accurately named Presidential Suite cost from R15 000 per night.