He stood with a deadpan expression just inches from US President Barack Obama and other world leaders speaking at Nelson Mandela’s memorial, dressed in a dark suit, with a blue security lanyard bearing the words “state funeral” draped around his neck, flapping his arms and gesticulating in what was supposed to be sign language for the deaf.

Nelson Mandela was yesterday given back to South Africans who queued in thousands from the early hours to file past his open casket on a day of viewing reserved for the public. Aerial images showed lines of mourners snaking for around a mile as they queued patiently for buses to the building where his body is lying in state and then again as they waited to go inside. Pic/AFP