Nelson Mandela: Beyond the icon through the eyes of a journalist Daily Maverick | 17.07.2026 03:07 It was with a dose of serendipity that I became the first person to shake Nelson Mandela’s hand as he walked free after 27 years in captivity.Read more RELATED STORIES Why Alcohol Is Tougher On Women’s Health (REPLAY) Podcasts Train engulfed by wall of flames in Canada wildfire Video News Aliko Dangote's $17 billion Lamu refinery faces Greenpeace demand for... Business Billionaire Baba Danpullo's legal battle clouds Tiger Brands' $46... Business South Africa's PIC suspends CEO over Lanseria deal linked to billionaire... Business Low pressure to no water for large parts of Johannesburg this Friday:... Business ‘Don’t worry’: Pule assures millions their social grants are safe Business Little Fish: Chromosomes are coming home Podcasts Ebola spreading in DRC ‘faster than any previous outbreak’: WHO World Boy, 14, charged with terror offence targeting London mosques World Mr Price Foundation Expands Bindzu Youth Fund to Back South Africa’s... Business Wealth Intelligence: The Banker's Bet Business