Ramaphosa thanks SA

King Letsie of Lesotho (L), Thabo Mbeki and his wife Zanele, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe and his partner Gugu Maseko during the funeral of Nelson Mandela in Qunu. Photo: GICS/ EDMOND JIYANE/AFP

King Letsie of Lesotho (L), Thabo Mbeki and his wife Zanele, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe and his partner Gugu Maseko during the funeral of Nelson Mandela in Qunu. Photo: GICS/ EDMOND JIYANE/AFP

Published Dec 15, 2013

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Qunu - ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday thanked South Africa for giving former president Nelson Mandela a "dignified send off".

Speaking at Mandela's funeral service in Qunu, Eastern Cape, he said it was the first time that the country had buried a person of Mandela's stature.

"Many mistakes were made... Many things were done correctly," he said.

Mandela, 95, died at his Houghton, Johannesburg home 10 days ago.

ANC chairwoman Baleka Mbete thanked President Jacob Zuma on Sunday for entrusting her and Ramaphosa with the task of being programme directors at services for former president Nelson Mandela.

"I wish to thank you, President Jacob Zuma for having entrusted the duty [to us]... thank you for the responsibility," she said at the state funeral for Mandela.

She and Ramaphosa were programme directors at Mandela's memorial service at FNB Stadium in Soweto on Tuesday, and at the state funeral.

Addressing Mandela, she said: "You did give us many brilliant moments of leadership, but also moments of lots of laughter that we don't have time to talk about now."

She said people could write books about moments they shared with Mandela. - Sapa

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