Death of Nelson Mandela stirs apartheid memories - ABC Online

After many months of ill-health, Mr Mandela died at his Johannesburg home.

As South African president Jacob Zuma ordered the nation's flags to be flown at half-mast, tributes flowed from world leaders including Barack Obama, Britain's David Cameron and Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

For Newcastle woman, Savitri Naidoo, Mr Mandela's death brought back memories not just of meeting him but of her early life as a young Indian woman under apartheid in South Africa.

Savitri, who now lives in Mayfield and runs a performing arts group, spoke to Jill Emberson from 1233 ABC Newcastle Mornings. (listen to attached audio)

"May his soul rest in peace, I know he is at peace," Savitri says.

"Sometimes we feel selfish that we would like him to be around, but he was suffering a lot.

"He's done so much for South Africa and for the world."

Savitri says this day will be a very difficult one for South Africa.

"All the apartheid things must be flooding back into the memories of everybody today, and what life they have today compared to what they had," she says.

"As a young child no matter how talented we were, if our parents couldn't pay there was no way we were going to get any education, any good opportunities, so it was very, very difficult.

"A simple thing of just enjoying mother nature, a beautiful beach, we weren't allowed to do, so it was very, very restricted.

"And when you travelled abroad and you came back you only realised how restricted you were."

Savitri says Nelson Mandela's impact was immense.

"He not only opened doors for everybody for a better life, but the way he opened the doors and the humanitarian values he taught us, the way he forgave those who were his prison wardens," she says.

She said he embraced Indian South Africans, who had been made to feel they were neither white nor black enough, as part of the community.

Savitri remembers meeting Mr Mandela as one of the most important events of her life.

"Those moments impacted so much on my life because I felt I was the only person in the room, that when he spoke to me he was so intent, just with you as a person, he was interested in what you were doing," she recalls.

"He was just so passionate about life, even though he had such a difficult life himself, it was amazing.

"When you were with Nelson Mandela, even though he didn't know you or whatever, you weren't a number you were a human being, you were the most special person in his presence, that's how he made you feel."