Gallery: Mthatha welcomes Mandela home

Townsmen line the streets as a military policeman escorts a hearse containing the flag draped coffin of former president Nelson Mandela through the center of Mthatha. REUTERS/Adrees Latif

Mourners stand by the road as a hearse containing the flag draped coffin of former president Nelson Mandela drives through the center of Mthatha. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

The funeral cortege of former resident Nelson Mandela passes through Mthatha. REUTERS/Rogan Ward

A woman hugs a police officer as the funeral cortege of former South African President Nelson Mandela passes through Mthatha. REUTERS/Rogan Ward

A man walks away from the main road after the funeral cortege of former Spresident Nelson Mandela passed through Mthatha. REUTERS/Rogan Ward

A woman hugs a policeman as the funeral cortege of former South African President Nelson Mandela passes through Mthatha. REUTERS/Rogan Ward

A woman waves as she and another woman walk home after the funeral cortege of former president Nelson Mandela passed through Mthatha. REUTERS/Rogan Ward

The funeral cortege carrying the coffin of former president Nelson Mandela drives through Mandela's homeland just outside the village of Qunu. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

An army helicopter observes the funeral cortege carrying the coffin of former president Nelson Mandela as it drives through Mandela's homeland just outside the village of Qunu. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Villagers wave along the road as the funeral cortege carrying the coffin of former president Nelson Mandela drives through Mandela's homeland just outside the village of Qunu. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach