No Netherlands Delegation at Mandela Funeral

The Netherlands will not be present at the funeral of Nelson Mandela, announced press agency Novum. 'It is the intention that it remains small and that not too many people attend,' said Minister Timmermans Friday afternoon after the meeting with the cabinet.King Willem-Alexander attended the memorial service in honor of the former president and former anti-apartheid-warrior, together with Timmermans. Wednesday the King paid a visit to the building where Mandela was placed upon a bier. Mandela will be buried in Qunu, the village where he grew up. Nelson Mandela’s body lying in state at the Union Buildings / Flickr Friday was the third and final day the people of South Africa were able to pay their respects to Mandela in the Union building in Pretoria. The lines remained kilometers long throughout the day. Water was handed out to the waiting and elderly and children were allowed to the front of the line. Nevertheless the government warned not everybody may have the opportunity to see Mandel one last time. The news caused a lot of frustration. A few hundred people cried out to see Mandela, and overran a gate to storm to the front. Several people got hurt. Around midday the government had the parking closed to prevent more people from coming in. The body was moved Friday afternoon. It could no longer be postponed, because the family insisted on moving the body during daylight.