I hesitate to make any comments concerning Nelson Mandela as I am pretty certain that I will appear as an unfeeling person and maybe some sort of bigot. However, please take into account that I profess that I am neither and my comments are based on what I know of the man over a LONG time, and not just the more recent fawning love affair the media has had with him over the years, and really became blatant with it over the last say ten years.
I qualify all this with saying that I cannot really know the truth of all the things, good or bad, that have been reported by the news outlets. I am not certain that anyone can, to be certain all sides of the 'Mandela Saga' hold extremely strong convictions for their 'side of the story' and I am just as certain that all sides are more than capable of twisting facts, inserting innuendo, and outright lying about things to meet their own goals.
Nelson Mandela'a wife was reported to be the greatest proponent of 'neck tie-ing' those that opposed the Mandela positions. For those that are not familiar with this activity, it is the placing a tire over the head of a person and having it rest on their shoulders. Gasoline is then poured into the tire and settles in the lowest part of the arc. Then the gasoline is set ablaze. Now, the advocacy of this activity was oft reported and in fact never refuted or even denied. This is the only thing that I am practically certain to be a true fact concerning Nelson Mandela, and in reality only associated with the man through another, his wife.
Now this all leads to some serious things to consider concerning Nelson Mandela and I am not drawing any fast conclusions at all. I am just saying that there is serious questions as to the 'sainthood' the media is trying to portray.
Nelson Mandela was a man, Nelson Mandela is dead. His life and actions are over on planet Earth. His final judgment is in the hands of God, where it belongs.