Facts about South Africa’s greatest statesman President Nelson Mandela, and the animals he loved…

• Nelson Mandela held a deep respect for all life, including animals.

• He loved his canine companion Gompo and laughed joyfully when Gompo greeting him with such deep affection. Relatives have told the story of Gompo sleeping at the foot of Madiba’s bed when he lived at 8115 Vilakazi Street, Soweto.

• In his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom, Madiba recalls that when he was just five years old, he became a herd-boy looking after sheep and calves in the fields. He believed cattle are a “blessing from God and a source of happiness”.

• He regarded wild places as sacred to wild animals, deserving of our utmost respect. “We need to preserve this precious legacy,” he said.

• One of the first things Madiba did when he found freedom, was become Patron-in-Chief of the NSPCA. He regarded this as an honour, and held the position for 19 years until he died in 2013.