By Reuters and Peroshni Govender
Environmental activists have been accused of abusing Nelson Mandela's name to try drum up publicity for their causes.
About 5 000 activists waited in vain at the Global People's Forum at Nasrec on Monday for an opening address by Mandela.
But while the crowd danced and chanted Mandela's clan name, Madiba, the 84-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner was working quietly on a book hundreds of kilometres away.
'If will be amazing if much talking actually takes place' "Mr Mandela is in Limpopo Province working on his book. He was not aware that he was expected at this event," said his spokesperson, Zelda la Grange.
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In the main hall of Nasrec where the Global Forum, a meeting of NGOs, is being held in parallel with the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), word spread slowly that Mandela would not arrive.
Dozens of people began streaming out after an official announced, without giving a reason, that Mandela would not appear.
Television crews packed up and left.
"These people were lying and using Mr Mandela's name to get people here and that is not right," said United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa.
'When one eventually gets to a venue, nobody knows what to expect' A spokesperson for forum, Muzi Khumalo, said it only became clear on Friday that Mandela would be unable to attend. It was not clear why his absence was announced only 30 minutes after he was due to speak.
The Global People's Forum, expected to generate the most hype at the WSSD, has not met expectations. Less than half of the expected 35 000 delegates are participating in the civil society talks.
But another forum organiser, Muna Lakmee, denied this, saying 27 000 delegates had registered at Nasrec.
On Monday only a few delegates were engaged in talks.
Instead, volunteers, police, emergency services personnel and journalists were in the majority.
Some delegates have expressed frustration at the planning of the conference.
Grant Davies, an American environmentalist, complained about extortionate taxi fares.
"When one eventually gets to a venue, nobody knows what to expect. People said this summit will just be a talk shop, but at this rate, if will be amazing if much talking actually takes place."
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