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`Tired` Mandela to cut down on public engagements: Report
Johannesburg, May 01: Veteran South African leader Nelson Mandela, who turns 86 in July, will cut down on his public engagements as his gruelling schedule over the years have taken their toll, an official close to the anti-apartheid icon told the Star Daily today.
Johannesburg, May 01: Veteran South African leader Nelson Mandela, who turns 86 in July, will cut down on his public engagements as his gruelling schedule over the years
have taken their toll, an official close to the anti-apartheid icon told the Star Daily today.
Nelson Mandela foundation chief executive John Samuel said the statesman's overall programme had become "quite difficult to manage" but denied that he would be withdrawing from public life altogether.
"When Mandela is ready to do so he will announce his retirement from public life. The fact that we're trying to reduce his workload is being interpreted as retirement," he said.
A source close to the country's first black president, currently in Trinidad and Tobago promoting South Africa's bid to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup, said although he was in good health, he was "bloody tired."
Sources said Mandela's public appearances will be whittled down with more of the engagements shifted on to three foundations that bear his name -- the Nelson Mandela Chidlren's Fund, the Mandela/Rhodes Foundation and the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
Another source close to Mandela said he would take more time out to write the second part of his autobiography, dealing with the years covering his release from prison in 1990.
Bureau Report
"When Mandela is ready to do so he will announce his retirement from public life. The fact that we're trying to reduce his workload is being interpreted as retirement," he said.
A source close to the country's first black president, currently in Trinidad and Tobago promoting South Africa's bid to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup, said although he was in good health, he was "bloody tired."
Sources said Mandela's public appearances will be whittled down with more of the engagements shifted on to three foundations that bear his name -- the Nelson Mandela Chidlren's Fund, the Mandela/Rhodes Foundation and the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
Another source close to Mandela said he would take more time out to write the second part of his autobiography, dealing with the years covering his release from prison in 1990.
Bureau Report