True to his word to Mandela

Nelson Mandela might not be around to receive a personal invitation to his long-time friend's book launch, but he would have been proud that his former warder has finally written about their unique friendship.

Mandela, who had known Christo Brand since 1978, had asked him to write a book about his experiences as a warder guarding the "most dangerous criminals".

"He had just launched his book, Long Walk to Freedom and I had asked him to sign my copy," Brand said. "I promised him I would but it took me years before I did. He would often remind me and joked that he would be very upset if he wasn't invited to my book launch."

The two first met on the notorious Robben Island in 1978. Mandela was 60 and serving life for trying to overthrow the government. Brand was 19.

"Until that day I'd never heard of him or his ANC. I was his prison warder and he changed my life forever," he said.

In his book Doing Life with Mandela: My prisoner, My friend, Brand details how he developed a friendship with Mandela despite being warned against it.

One secret favour he did for the future president was smuggling Mandela's then four-month-old granddaughter, Zoleka, into the prison. Madiba was able to hold her for 30 seconds.

If Brand had been found out he would have been fired.

The two kept in touch after Mandela was released. Brand and his wife were often invited to tea i n Cape Town by Mandela and they were regulars at his birthday parties.

'It didn't matter where he was, whom he was with. He always made me feel important to his guests."

Now 53, Brand manages the Robben Island shop and is a tour guide on the island.

Co-written with British journalist Barbara Jones, the book was launched in the UK last month.