Welcome to the MWEB Africa Blog Mandela mourns icon Miriam Makeba Former South African President Nelson Mandela has paid tribute to singing legend Miriam Makeba, who has died aged 76 after a concert in Italy. She was the "mother of our struggle" and "South Africa's first lady of song", Mr Mandela said. Makeba became a symbol of the fight against apartheid and spent three decades abroad after South Africa's government revoked her passport. Posted : 2008-11-11