Hearse arrives at Mandela's Qunu home

A hearse carrying the remains of former president Nelson Mandela's children arrived at his Qunu, Eastern Cape, home on Thursday.

The hearse, escorted by police, was driven on to the property.

Earlier the remains were positively identified as those of Mandela's children -- his eldest son Madiba Thembekile, who died in a car accident in 1969; grandson Mandla Mandela's father Makgatho Mandela, who died in 2005; and Mandela's first daughter Makaziwe Mandela, who died as an infant in 1948.

Forensic tests were conducted to confirm the identities of the remains before their reburial in Qunu.

Nelson Mandela's grandson Mandla Mandela had the bodies exhumed and moved to his village of Mvezo in 2011. He claimed that Mvezo, where he was building a multi-million-rand hotel, was the birthplace of the Mandelas and held historic significance.

A resident of the area took him to court last year for digging up graves, but that case had yet to be heard.

The Eastern Cape High Court on Wednesday granted members of the Mandela family, led by Mandela's eldest daughter Makaziwe Mandela, an order compelling Mandla Mandela to return the remains to Qunu.

He challenged the ruling, but lost.