President Rajapaksa to attend funeral

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is expected to attend South African president Nelson Mandela's funeral next week.

The President accompanied by External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris will travel to South Africa on their return from a pre-planned official trip to Kenya from December 10 to 14, official sources said.

According to foreign media reports the revered South African leader who died at the age of 95 is expected to be buried on December 15, in the hilly areas of Qunu where he grew up.

South Africa's Government announced that Nelson Mandela's funeral cortege will travel through the streets of the capital Pretoria on three consecutive days for people to pay their last respects.

The Government has planned a ten day remembrance in honour of the departed leader before the funeral on Sunday.

According to reports South Africa is readying itself to receive a flood of world leaders for the funeral and among those expected to be present are US President Barak Obama, the US first lady Michelle Obama and former first couple George W Bush and Laura Bush.

South Africa is being inundated with condolence messages from across the world since the death of the elder statesman Mandela it was announced on Thursday. He died at his home in Johannesburg after suffering from a lung infection.

-MF