Cape Town - A group of pupils from two Cape Town schools brought some colour to Parliament on Thursday by painting well-wishes for Madiba on canvasses placed outside the National Council of Provinces.
The intention was to mark former president Nelson Mandela's 95th birthday, which he is spending in a Pretoria hospital being treated for a recurring lung infection.
The pupils were from Trafalgar High School and St Mary's Primary School, where the children of many parliamentary staff attend classes. The colourful display attracted attention from passers-by, who stopped to read the messages.
Many of the children dipped their hands in paint and left their prints on the canvasses. Others used brushes to write birthday messages or draw stick figures of themselves.
“Love you Tata” was the most prominent message. One pupil scribbled: “Tata, you are so cool”.
“He's our father, our family, our president, and we need to keep him safe,” Musa Mndita, an eight-year-old Grade Three pupil, said.
Most said they felt like Madiba's own children.
“I'm so sad he's in hospital because I love him. He loves children and he gave us our freedom,” said Grade Two pupil Unathi Malusi.
Likhaka Mbali, eight, said without Madiba's contribution to the country she did not believe she would be getting the education she now enjoyed.
“He's done everything for us and he gave us our schools so we can learn some things.” - Sapa