Nelson Mandela's body arrives home for burial
Nelson Mandela's coffin has arrived in his ancestral home in Qunu in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa, the final leg of its journey.
Large numbers of people lined the roads in the rural region to pay their respects as the cortege passed by.
A state funeral will be held on Sunday for Mr Mandela, who died on 5 December.
At least 100,000 people saw the former South African president's body lying in state in Pretoria over the last three days, but some had to be turned away.
Last respects
It arrived in Mthatha, 700 km (450 miles) away at 13:37 local (11:37 GMT).
To solemn music, the coffin draped in a South African flag was moved by a military guard of honour and placed in a hearse to begin the 32km journey to Qunu, where Mr Mandela had said he wanted to be buried.
People waving flags and cheering and singing - in places 10 to 12 deep - lined the route taken by the cortege through Mthatha town to pay their last respects.
Tears as well as smiles could be seen on the faces of onlookers.
"He is finally coming home to rest, I can't even begin to describe the feeling I have inside," 31-year-old Bongani Zibi told AFP news agency.
"Part of me is sad but I'm also happy that he has found peace."
See Pictures below......
Nelson Mandela always said he wanted to be buried in his childhood home of Qunu
His funeral will be conducted according to the traditions of the Xhosa people, from which he comes
The coffin was flown to Mthatha aboard a C130 military transport plane, after a special ANC ceremony to bid farewell to Mr Mandela
About 1,000 members of the ANC, which Mr Mandela once led, attended the special celebration at Waterkloof airbase
Among them were President Zuma, members of Nelson Mandela's family, his ex-wife Winnie Mandela (R) and his widow, Graca Machel
During three days of public viewing to see the coffin, long queues of people formed
Large numbers of people lined the roads in the rural region to pay their respects as the cortege passed by.
A state funeral will be held on Sunday for Mr Mandela, who died on 5 December.
At least 100,000 people saw the former South African president's body lying in state in Pretoria over the last three days, but some had to be turned away.
Last respects
The coffin was flown from Waterkloof airbase in Pretoria on a C130 military aircraft, escorted by two fighter jets.
In line with tribal custom, Nelson Mandela's grandson Mandla
accompanied him on the journey, speaking to his coffin to tell him he
was on his way home to rest.It arrived in Mthatha, 700 km (450 miles) away at 13:37 local (11:37 GMT).
To solemn music, the coffin draped in a South African flag was moved by a military guard of honour and placed in a hearse to begin the 32km journey to Qunu, where Mr Mandela had said he wanted to be buried.
People waving flags and cheering and singing - in places 10 to 12 deep - lined the route taken by the cortege through Mthatha town to pay their last respects.
Tears as well as smiles could be seen on the faces of onlookers.
"He is finally coming home to rest, I can't even begin to describe the feeling I have inside," 31-year-old Bongani Zibi told AFP news agency.
"Part of me is sad but I'm also happy that he has found peace."
See Pictures below......
Nelson Mandela always said he wanted to be buried in his childhood home of Qunu
His funeral will be conducted according to the traditions of the Xhosa people, from which he comes
The coffin was flown to Mthatha aboard a C130 military transport plane, after a special ANC ceremony to bid farewell to Mr Mandela
About 1,000 members of the ANC, which Mr Mandela once led, attended the special celebration at Waterkloof airbase
Among them were President Zuma, members of Nelson Mandela's family, his ex-wife Winnie Mandela (R) and his widow, Graca Machel
During three days of public viewing to see the coffin, long queues of people formed
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