A Week with Dr. Makaziwe ‘Maki’ Mandela

Dr. Makaziwe 'Maki' Mandela has been in London attending events in honour of the three surviving members of the Rivonia Trial – Ahmed Kathrada, Denis Goldberg, and Andrew Mlangeni.

On Monday 25th January, a large event was held at the Grosvenor House Hotel hosted by Life is Wonderful! to honour these three men for their struggle and fight against South African apartheid. There were over 750 guests at the event hosted by British comedian, Rory Bremner, and the three men were interviewed by David Dimbleby. The defence attorneys for the Rivonia Trial, Lord Joel Joffe and George Bizos, gave speeches and spoke about their memories of Apartheid. A special exhibition of Mandela's signed lithographs and unseen original pastel drawings were exhibited at the event.

On Tuesday evening, Belgravia Gallery hosted a special private viewing in their Mayfair space of never seen before collaborative works by Nelson Mandela and British artist, Charlie Mackesy, entitled The Unity Series. Both Charlie Mackesy and Nelson Mandela's eldest daughter, Dr. Makaziwe Mandela, and her daughter, Tukwini Mandela, attended the Private View along with patrons and clients of Belgravia Gallery.

The artworks of Nelson Mandela were featured in the Sunday Telegraph [24 January 2016] in an article by Robert Mendick and Sam Parkhouse. Belgravia Gallery Director, Anna Hunter, spoke about the works' cultural and historical significance: 'I think they are historically really interesting works of art…these are the drawings of a man who has been through so much and yet is willing to return to the subject matter. This is his triumph over the adversity he experienced.'

On Wednesday morning, Dr. Makaziwe Mandela was a special guest of honour for the Freedom of the City ceremony held at London's Guildhall. Prime Minister David Cameron and 10 Downing Street invited and honoured Denis Goldberg, Ahmed Kathrada and Andrew Mlangeni with Freedom of the City titles for their fight for freedom against apartheid and racial inequality. Andrew Mlangeni was not present for the ceremony due to illness. All three men were jailed because of their activities – serving 48 years between them – alongside Nelson Mandela during South Africa's Apartheid period. Lord Mayer Jeffrey Mountevans said the honour was a “tribute to the noble and fearless fortitude” of the men.

On Wednesday, 27th January, ITV News aired a special interview with Mark Austin and Dr. 'Maki' Makaziwe Mandela. Maki spoke fondly of her father's artworks as they illustrate her memories of her homeland, South Africa, and her father's childhood. Maki spoke of their powerful, nostalgic effect, particularly his pastel and charcoal drawing of the rolling hills of Qunu – the village where he grew up and where he was laid to rest.