December 10, 2013
Hamilton memorial plan for Mandela
The official memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela has finished, but anti-apartheid activists here are planning their own memorial later in the week at the site of the biggest victory in the 1981 Springbok tour protests.
New Zealand was represented in Johannesburg by Prime Minister John Key, Labour’s David Cunliffe, the Maori Party’s Pita Sharples, and two members of the Muldoon cabinet who voted to allow the 1981 Springbok tour to go ahead, Jim Bolger and Sir Don McKinnon.
Absent from the New Zealand’s delegation was 1981 protest leader John Minto, despite widespread calls for him to be included.
Mr Minto says the long-running campaign against racist rugby tours created a special bond between New Zealand and post-apartheid South Africa, with the highlight being stopping the Hamilton game in 1981.
That’s why there is a memorial service is at Rugby Park on Sunday night.
"It will be on the field there, there are negotiations going on with the Hamilton City Council, so we will meet in the middle of the field there with candles, and it’s important to meet there because that was the site of the event that gave him real hope and encouragement and his strongest link with New Zealand, and also the timing, 8.30 at night, is when his burial is occurring in South Africa," Mr Minto says.
Mana Party leader, Hone Harawira, left for the republic yesterday to take part in the national and international mourning.
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