Our Madiba

Meeting Nelson Mandela simply took your breath away. He had a remarkable aura, which left you without any doubt that you were in the presence of greatness.

'Our Madiba' is a collection of anecdotes from people who met Mandela. From ordinary South Africans – his former bodyguard, the child he met in hospital, the woman who shared his birthday – to celebrities and leaders like Richard Attenborough, Angelique Kidjo, Francois Pienaar and John Carlin.

These stories reveal the traits that struck people about Madiba: His kind eyes, his broad smile, his mischievousness, his compassion and humility, his sense of humour and his genuine interest in the person meeting him.

"He really made you feel you were the only person in the world.""

– Zapiro

"It was not a publicity stunt or to look good. What he did was out of a true place of care and compassion.""

– Desmond Tutu