Mandela’s forbidden funeral

Well before the death of Nelson Mandela, it was clear his funeral could turn out to be a bit of a nightmare for journalists. One: It was of course going to be a tremendously emotional event, followed closely by people the world over. Two: The burial itself would take place in the middle of the countryside and bring a whole range of logistical issues for journalists. Three: Pretty much the whole world’s press would descend – and ruthless competitiveness would be the norm. And finally, local authorities were set to make it difficult for us to do our jobs.