let's hear more about the call to south african president jacob zuma. >> it was shortly after jacob zuma announced the passing of nelson mandela to south africa and the world that president obama took to the briefing room to talk about his reminiscenses and everything that nelson mandela meant to him. some time in the evening, you are right. the president placed a phone call to jacob zuma. he expressed condolences from himself and michelle obama. he called nelson mandela a man of kindness and humility, influencing his own life, and the president only met nelson mandela one time as a senator. he had visited south africa twice, once as a senator and once this past june with his family, unable to meet the ailing nelson mandela at this point. the president took to the briefing room, talked about the inspiration that nelson mandela was for him, talked about the anecdote. nelson mandela and a struggle against apartheid, inspired president obama as a student in the late '70s, and early '80s, to become involved in politics for the first time. let's listen to what obama had to say. >> we will not

jacob zuma went on to say, "our nation has lost its greatest son, our people have lost a father", jacob zuma made history becoming the first democratically elected president in 1974. he did it after spending 27 years in prison. mike hanna looks back on the life of a man who became a global figure. >> death does not deminnish the memory of beaming smile or the twinkle in the eyes. outside the hospital where nelson mandela laid, the crowds have been intent on celebrating a life as much as mourning his death. it was a life richly lived, one in which nelson mandela was prepared to give up everything, including this freedom, for what he believed. >> many feel it is useless and futile for us to talk piece against a government who attacks unarm people. he spent $10,053 days in prison. for the public through decades. nelson mandela was a pace on a poster. few in south africa saw. in february 1990 he walked out of prison and returned to sow eto as a freeman. among his first words a tribute to those that fought. >> i have spoken about freedom in my lifetime. your struggle. your commitment, and yo

the current south african president, jacob zuma has paid his respects. >> this international icon, who was a symbol of reconciliation, unity, love, human rights, and justice in our country and in in the world. [ gunfire ] >> >>> in other news after fighting killed more than a hundred people france is doubling the number of its troop reinforcements. countries are meeting in paris to discuss military intervention. >>> while the death of mandela has overshadowed that meeting, leaders have been meting. the french president says he will double the number of troops he is sending to the capitol. reports suggesting french forces have killed unidentified fighters near the city's airport. let's go to paris. jackie roland joins us from outside where the summit meeting is being held. i would imagine the preoccupation has been the news coming out of south africa. we'll get on to what is happening in car in in just a moment, but first tell us what is being said about mandela. >> yes, it has very much been the news of the death of mandela that has cast a shadow over this summit. it began with a momen

>> the last time that i saw him was actually at the inauguration of president jacob zuma. it was a passing on of the torch first to m becky, then to jacob zuma, but he was still the moral force that will held that country together and he still is and will continue to be. >> and we are almost out of time. i've got to throw this into you. you knew the mandela days. there's been a lot of disappointment in thao mbeki and jacob zuma on management levels and personality wise. do you think nelson mandela would have been happy with the country he's left behind now? >> no, he would never be happy until the hungry are fed and the naked clothed and the sick are healed. but they start the out with a nation where 85% of the people were discriminated against. they're probably now down to 70% of the people hole still in poverty. but we have in this nation probably 30% of the people are still in poverty. so we've got a long way to go. >> ambassador young, thank you so much for your time. >> fascinating >> other world leaders have been inspired by mandela's ability to fib his enemies. a ma

members speaking and the main appreciation and tribute will be read by current south african president jacob zuma all taking place tomorrow. this is a massive stadium. it holds, we're told, around 95,000 people. we're told that ordinary south africans, there's no tickets or anything to get in. first come, first served. that's going to be a very coveted line to be in tonight waiting till the early hours of tomorrow morning. south african time. of course, there will be many screens around the country for people to be able to follow that memorial service. we don't know how long it's going to last. it's budgeted to last a few hours. it may go on for many, many hours longer than that. i think also so important, you mentioned robin was talking about zelda la grange and her own feelings as white south africans. it imd roos me of that incredible thing he told a journalist, while i was in prison my hatred for the white people decreased but my hatred for the system increases. so he was committed to toppling that system but then of course, why does everybody love him and respect him? because he was abl

. >> jacob zuma arrived and was booed soundly. he walked away from corruption charges and rape, but censured to recklessness. how has he managed to hold on to power. is it that the a.n.c. is strong and has a broad popular basis support that they'll hold on to power for the foreseeable future. >> i think it's one word. nelson mandela has been dead for a few days and the loyalty on the streets where i was, with people blamed the politicians calling them corrupt. they say ta that is the a.n.c. but in the next breath they say, "will there be alternatives?", with coalitions create themselves sniffing blood in the water. nobody believes that a.n.c. will lose the election, but if it gets down to 60%. if the a.n.c. gets down to 60 other parties will say, "wait a minute, this is fragile. this is not a guarantee." they'll appeal to people in the townships, saying, "we can do better. we can deliver more." over the next few years you may see it chipping away. maybe in the next few days there'll be a run. >> it will be interesting there and in

we also have video of this same interpreter next to president jacob can be zum mallast year. this isn't a man who appeared once. it's someone close to the government for some time. we should also mention that president. zuma is facing corruption charges in other areas. that's a massive complaint people have in this country about the government. unfortunately, it may be showing that south africa today is a far cry of that of nelson mandela years ago. >> errol, it it is puzzling and troubling. they've got a lot of questions to be answered. it doesn't make any sense what happened there. erroll, thank you very much. we appreciate it. as he mentioned, nelson mandela now in his final resting place. his funeral was held over the weekend in a village where he grew up. about 4500 people pack aid huge at the present time for the ceremony mandela was buried near the graves of three of his children. >> a 30-foot bronze statue of mandela was unveiled in pretoria as part of today's national day of reb conciliation. he was sworn in as president in the city nearly 20 years ago. it's beautifu

we saw jacob zuma booed at the public ceremony last tuesday. archbishop desmond tutu who was a close friend of nelson mandela, and a fighter with nelson mandela for the tearing down of apartheid. there were questions as to whether he was invited to the funeral and didn't come until the last minute. all showed tensions within the african national congress. where does south africa go from here. people are saying that his legacy will be preserve served. are people worried that the divisions may create problems? >> this is a moment of redefinition for south africa, but as you can see through south africa's history, its triumph almost always comms after tragedy. this case is no different. a lot of people i spoke to, including former president mbeke, and others, they are saying a lot of south africa's work needs to be continuing to fulfil mandela's legacy. you heard barack obama sounding critical saying, "look, the world is revelling in nelson mandela's legacy. peep don't want to put in a mooedy come. people i spoke to says number one needs to revita

i travelled with a friend of the family and reverend jesse jackson to meet nelson mandela, and jacob zuma. there i met the family members. we stayed in touch and became close. >> we heard from heads of state and saw the public views. what has it been like to be there perfectly, that's something we hadn't heard. >> you know, this has been an incredible moment in history to be a part of, but on a personal lef it's sad. the most moving part of the ceremony, where it hit me, the gravt itty of what i was witnessing is when you saw nelson mandela's casket come around the corner, followed by the men, born to the son that died of aids, and they followed the casket and literally walked the casket draped in the south african flag, to the grave. it was heartbreaking, incredibly sad. >> the pictures were beautiful. how is the mandela family dealing with the loss? >> i think they are doing as well as anyone can do under the circumstances. i know that every family member i spoke to was looking forward to today because today is a day this finally the blockades are lifted around the perimeter of the