Africa Is a Country

Oscar Pistorius to be allowed to visit ailing Mandela–but without his gun

Africa Is a Country Podcast
African Five-a-Side Podcast

Oscar Pistorius to be allowed to visit ailing Mandela–but without his gun

By
Imran Garda

The visit would be a good opportunity for the nation to collectively heal; after all, both Oscar and Madiba have been through adversity.

David Pilbrow, Flickr CC.

Controversial South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius has been granted permission to visit former President Nelson Mandela at his home in Houghton, Johannesburg. The former President and global icon (95) has been recovering at home after a long battle with illness saw him hospitalized in recent times. President Jacob Zuma has announced that he took the decision to allow Pistorius to visit Mandela: “I came up with the idea. I feel this visit would be a good opportunity for the nation to collectively heal; after all, both Oscar and Madiba have been through adversity.” Zuma said.

The Olympic and Paralympic star, a double-amputee, will face trial in March 2014 for the alleged murder of his lover Reeva Steenkamp in the bathroom of his luxury Pretoria home on Valentine’s Day. Pistorius maintains his innocence, claiming it was a terrible accident and that he had mistaken Steenkamp for a burglar.

A spokesperson for Pistorius’ family thanked Zuma for allowing the meeting, scheduled for Monday, but said the family was disappointed that Pistorius would not be allowed any weapons into the Mandela home.

“We thank the new guy, Zuma, for giving Oscar this chance to meet with Madiba who is a hero like Oscar. Finally, the authorities are coming to their senses and allowing Oscar’s life to return to normal,” said the spokesperson.

“Hopefully he can start competing professionally as well once we sort out this trial thing. However, we are quite annoyed and disappointed that Oscar will not be allowed to take precautions and protect himself when we go to Joburg. Everybody knows crime is crazy there. Even if it is Mandela’s house.”

Further Reading

Kenya’s vibe shift

From aesthetic cool to political confusion, a new generation in Kenya is navigating broken promises, borrowed styles, and the blurred lines between irony and ideology.

Africa and the AI race

At summits and in speeches, African leaders promise to harness AI for development. But without investment in power, connectivity, and people, the continent risks replaying old failures in new code.

After the uprising

Years into Cameroon’s Anglophone conflict, the rebellion faces internal fractures, waning support, and military pressure—raising the question of what future, if any, lies ahead for Ambazonian aspirations.

In search of Saadia

Who was Saadia, and why has she been forgotten? A search for one woman’s story opens up bigger questions about race, migration, belonging, and the gaps history leaves behind.

Binti, revisited

More than two decades after its release, Lady Jaydee’s debut album still resonates—offering a window into Tanzanian pop, gender politics, and the sound of a generation coming into its own.

The bones beneath our feet

A powerful new documentary follows Evelyn Wanjugu Kimathi’s personal and political journey to recover her father’s remains—and to reckon with Kenya’s unfinished struggle for land, justice, and historical memory.

What comes after liberation?

In this wide-ranging conversation, the freedom fighter and former Constitutional Court justice Albie Sachs reflects on law, liberation, and the unfinished work of building a just South Africa.

The cost of care

In Africa’s migration economy, women’s labor fuels households abroad while their own needs are sidelined at home. What does freedom look like when care itself becomes a form of exile?

The memory keepers

A new documentary follows two women’s mission to decolonize Nairobi’s libraries, revealing how good intentions collide with bureaucracy, donor politics, and the ghosts of colonialism.

Making films against amnesia

The director of the Oscar-nominated film ‘Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat’ reflects on imperial violence, corporate warfare, and how cinema can disrupt the official record—and help us remember differently.