Mandela to miss his 20th anniversary release event at South Africa's parliament

Iconic world leader Nelson Mandela will not be present at the opening of South Africa's parliament tomorrow, an occasion to mark the 20th anniversary of his release from the prison after 27 years of incarceration by the apartheid government.

Despite earlier intimations by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) that Mandela, the country's first democratically elected president, would be present, it was confirmed here today that the frail wheelchair-bound leader would not be there.

Mandela's release from the Groot Drakenstein Prison, formerly named Victor Verster, outside Paarl in the Western Cape Province led to mass euphoria and sparked the start of freedom for all South Africans after decades of a white-minority government.

Parliament's theme this year is "Celebrate the Legacy of Mandela - Contribute to Nation Building". "Throughout the year, the letter and spirit of this theme will permeate the business of Parliament," said National assembly speaker Max Sisulu.