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Pride and Pain of Being Mandela's Grandson

Ndaba Mandela spent much of his childhood living with his grandfather, but carrying that famous name was a mixed blessing.

Being the grandson of Nelson Mandela sounds like a wonderful thing. But for Ndaba Mandela it has been a mixed blessing. He is the child of Nelson's son Magkatho and his wife Zondi. Ndaba grew up in Soweto under South Africa's apartheid regime. At the time, Nelson Mandela was one of the leaders of the banned African National Congress and seen by the country's white minority government as a terrorist. He had been sentenced to life imprisonment. After serving 27 years in prison he was released and Ndaba went to live with him. Ndaba has written a book about his grandfather called 'Going to the Mountain'.

Juan Pablo Villarino from Argentina has been described as the 'World's best hitchhiker', and his travels have taken him through many countries and conflict zones around the world. As a writer he takes inspiration from the people who give him lifts, and he's become something of a hitchhiking guru.

When Sally Bayley was 14, she hit rock bottom. She was in care, had been rejected by her family and she wasn't eating. So who did she turn to when she was at her lowest? Shakespeare. Through reading, she was taken to places she could have never imagined.

Image: Ndaba and Nelson Mandela
Credit: Ndaba Mandela

Available now

53 minutes

Last on

Thu 12 Jul 2018 06:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Wed 11 Jul 2018 11:06GMT
  • Wed 11 Jul 2018 15:06GMT
  • Wed 11 Jul 2018 17:06GMT
  • Thu 12 Jul 2018 03:06GMT
  • Thu 12 Jul 2018 05:06GMT
  • Thu 12 Jul 2018 06:06GMT

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Podcast: Lives Less Ordinary

Podcast: Lives Less Ordinary

Step into someone else’s life and expect the unexpected