Thousands come to say goodbye to Mandela as his body lies in state There have been emotional farewells to South Africa's much-loved former leader, Nelson Mandela, as his body lies in state. Former South African president and co-Nobel peace prize winner, F. W. de Klerk and his wife were first in line at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe and his wife also came to pay their respects. Amongst other well known mourners was U2 singer Bono whose band supported the anti-apartheid struggle as far back as 1979. Earlier, thousands of people lined the streets of Pretoria to catch a glimpse of Mandela's coffin as the cortege passed by. Mandela's body will lie in state for three days and the funeral procession will be repeated on Thursday and Friday, giving members of the public a chance to say their own personal goodbyes. On Sunday Mandela will be buried at his ancestral home in Qunu in the Eastern Cape province.