I went pass Mandela’s houghton house the other day. I felt very sad to see the media camping out there. I was very disappointed to see media camped out at the hospital waiting,  paying R3500 for vantage points. Than I heard the media were deployed to Qunu.  Why were they camping out there for almost 7 days now? What were they waiting for?  The same scenario happened when Nelson Mandela was in hospital in 2011.

I saw an article by a journalist defending why they have the right to be sitting there on the pavement of the hospital waiting. Really looked like he was trying to appease himself. Clearly he had to dig deep to find answers because it obviously did not feel right sitting there waiting. I don’t buy it. You can’t compare Madiba recovering, fighting for his life to a live rugby match. Mandela is a political figure. We all care for him. Surely we should give him some FREEDOM now at this very difficult time. Nelson Mandela has retired from public life in 2004.  Now more than ever, he needs his privacy and peace. Let us show  Mandela some respect and dignity and let him recover in PEACE.  Mandela  requested this upon retirement – “We trust that people will understand our considerations and will grant us the opportunity for a much quieter life”, Mandela said. Why not respect his wishes?

Health of a person is usually a very private matter and that is why doctor and patient confidentiality is so important. It is none of our business what his medical condition is. This is a private matter. This same sitting on the pavement , paparazzi mentality suffocated Michael Jackson and killed Princess Diana. I just hope that Bieber child survives. These people are human after all. Please give them some space and privacy especially in times like this.

Mac Maharaj is the spokesperson who is giving the media all the information they require.  Why not camp out at his house. The president or someone will call a press conference when there is a need for information.  Nothing is clearly happening at the hospital except for the journalist making it difficult for patients to use the facility and making it difficult for police to do their job and most probably causing a huge traffic problem.

Mandela’s daughter, Makaziwe said in a recent article “dignity and privacy” of her father, also a father to the nation, is sometimes under threat, complaining that 20 journalists one day in May converged on her father’s home, where he receives medical treatment, after an ambulance left to fetch medicine from a hospital.

“This is really utter madness,” she said. “This thing that everybody has got to be the first one to hear when Nelson Mandela goes, it’s not right. All of you will have your opportunity. You will get the news from the presidency at the right time.”

All those sitting on the pavement should ask themselves why are they really sitting there?  Surely the public will get the information on a need to know basis. Nothing is clearly happening at the hospital except for a wife visiting her husband and children visiting their father and grandfather. What we know is Madiba is a fighter and as my Madala says,  Mandela  will hopefully have an innings of 100 and hope you media guys will be out there in the  cold for a very very long time..

 

Home Sweet Home by Nanima and Madala was illustrated by Shameema Dharsey 

 

Tags: features, Madiba in hospital, mandela in hospital, Media vultures waiting at Mandela hospital