Guernsey Press

Tributes paid to 'an icon of South Africa'

TRIBUTES have been made to South Africa's first black president, Nelson Mandela, who has died aged 95.

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TRIBUTES have been made to South Africa's first black president, Nelson Mandela, who has died aged 95.

The Nobel Peace Prize winning campaigner against apartheid, pictured right, died at his home in Johannesburg last night.

He had been fighting a battle against a lung infection.

One tribute came from Deputy Mary Lowe, who has visited the place where Mandela was held for more than 27 years in jail before becoming presidency in 1994.

'Visiting Nelson Mandela's prison cell and seeing the conditions he lived in for so long on Robben Island, Cape Town, will stay with me forever,' she said.

'What a remarkable man who showed so much courage throughout his life, a truly remarkable man. Gone but never forgotten.'

Deputy Heidi Soulsby said she had been to South Africa in September and was left in no doubt how deeply Mr Mandela was loved.

'A day we knew would come but just hoped never would,' she said. 'An icon of South Africa.'

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