“Is it a TV or what?” That was Mandela’s reaction the first time he saw a microwave — a moment of confusion and laughter he later shared with his former bodyguard, Lingaraj “Linga” Moonsamy.

It happened after his 1982 transfer from Robben Island to Pollsmoor Prison, where modern appliances like microwaves were a mystery to prisoners who had spent years in isolation.

Mandela, born July 18, 1918, died on December 5, 2013, following a prolonged respiratory infection. 

He was released from prison on February 11, 1990, after spending 27 years behind bars for conspiring to overthrow the apartheid government.

Speaking to IOL News, Moonsamy, who served as Mandela’s personal bodyguard from 1994 to 1999, said working with Madiba was a privilege marked by moments of tension, humour, humility, and deep respect.

His reflections come as South Africa prepares to mark International Nelson Mandela Day on July 18.

Moonsamy said he joined the African National Congress’s underground structures in 1986 after being recruited by a community and political activist, Neeshan Bolton. 

He then progressed from working in ANC security team to eventually protecting leaders such as Ahmed Kathrada, a politician, anti-apartheid activist, and political prisoner who died in 2017, aged 87.

In 1994, Moonsamy was officially assigned to Mandela’s personal protection team.

“First, you’re working with a global icon. Second, you have no idea what to expect,” Moonsamy said, recalling their first meeting.

“He asked me about my family and where I came from. I told him I was from MK (Umkhonto we Sizwe), and right away he was interested in my story. That surprised me, here was this larger-than-life leader who genuinely wanted to know who was walking beside him.”

Among his many memories, Moonsamy recalls Mandela recounting his transfer from Robben Island to Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town in 1982.

“He told me they saw a microwave for the first time and were confused,” Moonsamy said with a laugh. 

“They didn’t know what it was. ‘Is it a TV or what?’ they asked. They were so embarrassed. Eventually, someone explained it was used to warm up food.”

Moonsamy also shared stories of high-stakes security challenges, including a threat from former ANC leader Sifiso Nkabinde, who warned that Mandela should never set foot in KwaZulu-Natal.

“Nkabinde threatened that if we came with helicopters or a convoy, he’d use rocket launchers to stop Madiba from entering the area,” he said.

But Mandela was undeterred.

“He made it clear: He was the president of South Africa, and no one would prevent him from moving freely,” Moonsamy told IOL News. 

Nkabinde was shot and killed by unknown assassins on January 23, 1999.

“We flew in with three choppers – two as decoys and one with Madiba. I sat next to him in the chopper with my Uzi, and he joked, ‘Linga, do you know how to use that?’ We chuckled, but he was relaxed and not concerned at all.”

Despite the threats, the people of KwaZulu-Natal welcomed Mandela warmly.

“People were ecstatic. They ran behind our convoy in the township, overjoyed to see Madiba,” he said.

Moonsamy said what you saw from Mandela was what you got – on and off camera.

“The Madiba on stage, on TV, or at a conference was the same man we knew in private,” he told IOL News. 

“He never saw himself as a saint. He made you feel like he was just a normal person.”

Moonsamy also recalled memories of Mandela’s holidays, not abroad, but in his birthplace of Qunu in the Eastern Cape.

“He loved going back to the rural village. We would wake up at 4am, walk the hills, and he would tell us stories about herding cattle, fetching water, and fighting as kids. He made those memories come alive.”

Moonsamy also recalled an unexpected moment on a 1995 trip to New Zealand, when they made an unscheduled refueling stop on Cocos Island.

“There was just a runway and a building in the distance. Madiba asked how long we’d be grounded. When we said over an hour, he said, ‘No man, I can’t sit here.’”

They walked to the building, which turned out to be a school.

“When the kids saw him, they screamed, ‘Mandela! Mandela!’” he said. “That’s when I realised – there’s no corner of the earth where people don’t know him.”

Asked what if Mandela was still alive and how would want South Africans to remember this Mandela Day, Moonsamy didn’t hesitate.

“Madiba’s dream was to unite the country. To see black and white South Africans live side by side, sharing the vision and fruits of freedom,” he said. 

“Not just political freedom, but also economic freedom. That was his vision.”

Every year on Mandela Day, Moonsamy said he and his family set aside time to do something meaningful and give back.

“We usually do some charity work and reflect on his life. We used to go to his house in Vilakazi Street, in Soweto, Gauteng, but with how things are now, we no longer do that due to the state of affairs. Still, we gather, have lunch, and remember what Madiba stood for.”

Reflecting on his time with Mandela, Moonsamy said it was a privilege.

“We didn’t see him as an icon. He made us feel like he was one of us. But we knew our job, which was to protect the president of South Africa, and we made sure we succeeded in that.”

simon.manadibodu@iol.co.za

IOL Politics

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