Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson led 2,000 guests in an ecstatic double celebration of Nelson Mandela's third marriage and 80th birthday at a conference centre outside Johannesburg yesterday. In remarks issued for the occasion, President Mandela said if he could have one wish it was to turn South Africa "into the land of our dreams: a place that is free of hatred and discrimination; a place from which hunger and homelessness have been banished; a safe place for our children to grow into our future leaders".
Singer Nina Simone, actor Danny Glover, former African heads of state Kenneth Kaunda and Julius Nyerere, and paying guests forking out up to £13,000 to charity for the privilege of a seat joined the festivities, broadcast live on state television.
Congratulations to Mr Mandela and his new wife, Graca Machel, poured in from around the world and all parts of South Africa, including a warm tribute from the National Party, responsible for jailing the president for 27 years: "We are sure she will be a gracious first lady as well as a supportive and understanding presence in the president's life, which he so richly deserves," the party said. The only criticism amid the festivities came from a chief in Mr Mandela's home village of Qunu, Thelodumo Mtirara, who complained that the president - whose tribal name is Madiba - had not informed the Thembu clan about his wedding plans. "I cannot say we are not happy or we are happy," Chief Mtirara was quoted as saying on South African radio.
Mr Mandela and Ms Machel - the widow of the Mozambique president, Samora Machel - were married in a private ceremony at their home in the Johannesburg suburb of Houghton on Saturday, after weeks of emphatic denials from presidential spokesmen that a wedding was planned. Although Mr Mandela's children were apparently not at the ceremony they were reportedly at a birthday lunch in Pretoria at which Ms Machel broke the news. They emerged shortly afterwards singing a traditional wedding song.
Guests at the wedding in Johannesburg ranged from Prince Bander of Saudi Arabia and Johannesburg's chief rabbi, Cyril Harris, to Mr Mandela's clothes outfitter, Yusuf Surtee.
Bishop Desmond Tutu delivered the a sermon, based on the Genesis account of Adam and Eve. In a show of inter-faith unity, blessings were pronounced by Sheik Nazeem Mohammed, head of the Muslim Judicial Council, and Krishni Nanachand, on behalf of the Hindu community.
The civil ceremony was performed by Johannesburg's chief magistrate, Charlton Bashe. Mr Mandela's heir apparent, Thabo Mbeki, and his wife, Zanele, acted as witnesses.
Patrick Laurence adds:
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, world-renowned peace campaigner and head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, said after the wedding: "She has made a decent man out of him." Since the relationship between Mr Mandela and Ms Machel (52) became public in 1996, Dr Tutu has chastised the pair for not setting a good example by getting married.
The Home Affairs Minister Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, leader of the opposition Inkatha Freedom Party, said he "rejoiced" that the president had found a "life partner".
"For a man who has suffered as he has done, for the liberation for all the people of South Africa, it has really been cause for concern that at this late hour he would live a lonely life," he said.