The body of Nelson Mandela arrived in his ancestral home in Qunu in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa on Saturday in time for the burial to take place on Sunday.
Mandela`s burial will be conducted according to customs of the Xhosa people where Mandela comes from.
About 4,000 people, including presidents from Africa, several prime ministers, the Iranian vice-president, and the Prince of Wales will attend the funeral.
The body has been lying in state and thousands of people paid their respects to South Africa`s first black President.
At least 100,000 people saw the former South African president’s body lying in state in Pretoria over the last three days, but some had to be turned away.
Mandela`s body was flown from Waterkloof airbase on a C130 military aircraft and was escorted by fighter jets.
Mandela’s grandson Mandla accompanied him on the journey, speaking to his coffin to tell him he was on his way home to rest.
The coffin draped in a South African flag was moved by a military guard of honour and placed in a hearse to begin the 32km journey to Qunu, where Mr Mandela had said he wanted to be buried.
Nelson Mandela always said he wanted to be buried in his childhood home of Qunu.
“Come home Mandela, the sun has set.” These were the painful wails of a woman who was part of a crowd of villagers who welcomed Nelson Mandela’s coffin back to his ancestral home of Qunu.
Women dressed in traditional Xhosa clothing danced and sang songs about Madiba, asking him to watch over them from the spirit world. They lined up on the highway as the body was driven home.
Most South Africans are not happy that they will not be able to attend the funeral due to a strict guest list.
“How can you have a guest list for a funeral, that is un African,” an elderly woman said. According to local traditions, everyone is welcome at a funeral and the more, the better.
The cortege then drove through the gates of the Mandela homestead in Qunu, where it will rest overnight in the grounds of the royal house of Thembu.
A long time friend of Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Desmond Tutu is said to have cancelled plans to attend the funeral saying he had not been invited.
He said he did not want to “gatecrash what was billed as a private family funeral”.
The South African government – which Archbishop Tutu has criticised said he had been invited.
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