South Africa honours Sisulu

By Alastair Leithead
BBC correspondent in Johannesburg

Huge crowds of people are converging on a football stadium in Soweto, outside Johannesburg, for the official funeral of Walter Sisulu, the hero of South Africa's anti-apartheid struggle.

Winnie Madikizela Mandela was among those paying respects

Tributes to the 90 year old will be led by President Thabo Mbeki and former President Nelson Mandela.

After two weeks of mourning, South Africa will finally lay to rest one of the pillars of its anti-apartheid struggle.

Sisulu was the man who introduced Mr Mandela into politics, who was his mentor and friend over six decades of campaigning and who spent more than a quarter of a century in prison with him.

Four African presidents and two former leaders will attend the official funeral, which will be conducted by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Strength behind the scenes

Tens of thousands of people will cram into the stadium and line the streets as the funeral procession then makes its way to a nearby cemetery.

WALTER SISULU

Nelson Mandela's mentor

Key strategist in anti-apartheid struggle

Spent 26 years in prison

Obituary

Sisulu - the liberation hero and strategist behind the struggle who left the public appearances to others - died two weeks ago at home after a long illness.

On Friday night, hundreds of ordinary people joined President Mbeki, government ministers and veterans of the anti-apartheid movement as they visited Sisulu's coffin.

His body lay in state at a Soweto community hall where young activists gathered in the 1970s and 1980s in their struggle against apartheid.