Qunu abuzz with activity

Qunu, about 35km from Mthatha in the Eastern Cape was abuzz with activity over the weekend.

Former president Nelson Mandela arrived in Qunu, his home village, on Thursday accompanied by members of his security detail and his medical team.

Media broadcasting trucks had made their way to the village on Sunday afternoon for Mandela's birthday celebrations.

Qunu residents were confident they would catch a glimpse of Mandela sometime during the week.

Some of the residents said they were not involved in this year's planning for the elder statesman's birthday.

"Previously, we would by this time be slaughtering sheep and we would be briefed by our chief Mandla [Mandela] on how the festivities of the day will unfold, but that has not happened this year" a relative, Silumko Mandela said.

The frail Mandela has withdrawn from public life and is rarely seen. Even upon his arrival at Mthatha airport journalists were barred from taking any pictures of Mandela, and told to leave the airport as there was "no story to report on".

However, residents said that the presence of the South African flag flying high outside Mandela's house, indicated that he was there.

On Saturday, security at Mandela's home in Qunu had been beefed up.

Journalists and photographers were doing routine patrols on the N2 road, close to the Tuscan -style villa house, in an effort to get a glimpse of Mandela.

A group of community volunteers and students from various schools around Mthatha started off Nelson Mandela International Day celebrations in the neighbouring village of Nkalane.

Lead by the Nelson Mandela Museum, the volunteers renovated a dilapidated hut, belonging Nodanile Mqandelana and his destitute family.

Khwezi Mpumlwana, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Museum said this "act of kindness" served as a continued practical lesson on how young people around Mthatha could play a role in Nelson Mandela International Day.

Mpulwana said Mqandelana's hut was not the first to be renovated. Last year a rondavel, where Mandela lived in Mqekezweni village, was renovated in an exercise that doubled as a practical lesson for participants in the age-old art of earth-building.

On Monday morning, preservations of the ruins at the school Mandela attended would begin.

The school is in Mqekezweni, 25km from Qunu.

Celebrations at the school would focus on Mandela's heritage, one of them being his birth name Rolihlahla. He was later given the name Nelson when he attended Mqekezweni Junior Secondary School, because his teacher could not pronounce Rolihlahla.

Mandela spent his childhood in Mqekezweni, being groomed for royal duty. He evaded these duties and left for Johannesburg to avoid an arranged marriage.

An interpretative board would be unveiled at the school explaining the significance of the site, and commemorating Nelson Mandela International Day.

This would be followed by the construction of an isivivane (stone cairn).

Eastern Cape Premier Noxolo Kiviet, academics, officials from the Nelson Mandela Museum and the Nelson Mandela Foundation were expected to attend.

Imbizo trees in Mqhekezweni would also be preserved as a heritage and there would be an unveiling.

High profile people were expected to visit Mandela's house on Monday.