The postage stamp tributes to Nelson Mandela Nelson Mandela may have been South Africa's hero but such was his appeal as a man of peace, the whole world embraced him as a role model for all future leaders. While it is common for a country to honour its great figures by putting their images on postage stamps, it is rare that a country will bestow this honour to people of other nations. Nelson Mandela is one notable exception; countries in Africa and beyond had already printed stamps long before his death on Thursday. South Africa Central African Republic Democratic Republic of the Congo Guinee Maldives Solomon Islands By Marios Ioannou