“Our human compassion binds us the one to the other – not in pity or patronsingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.’
A courageous and selfless man said that; a man who lived and breathed the interests of his people and his country. The closing of 2013 was a seminal and deeply sad time for South Africa and its impact transcended race, creed or colour. While our rocky and troubled past still ached in the hearts of many, one man gave us hope and broke the reins of oppression so that we could all walk together arm in arm towards a horizon of freedom and prosperity. On 5 December 2013 the Father of the Nation passed into the great beyond and left a spirit that touched the souls of millions. For it is by his spirit that the universal hope for our country is promulgated.
On 15 December, after South Africa and the world celebrated his life and mourned his death at the Official Memorial Service at FNB Stadium on 10 December and viewed his body at the Union Buildings until 13 December, the State Funeral took place on a hillside near Qunu, Eastern Cape; the small village which the iconic anti-apartheid figure called his childhood home.
The funeral service featured tributes from such dignitaries as President Jacob Zuma, Malawian President Joyce Banda and former Zambian leader Kenneth Kaunda. Four thousand five hundred people in total were expected to attend, including senior South African government officials, ANC veterans and international figures such as Oprah Winfrey, Jesse Jackson and Richard Branson. However, not all attendees were permitted at his final resting place resulting in only 450 dignitaries being granted access to the burial site; mostly family members.
Gearhouse Group was contracted by the Department of Public Works to supply the technical requirements for the main ceremony, which was held under a massive domed structure about the size of a football field. Gearhouse Group worked in conjunction with MMA Architects and family members to develop the aesthetic look and feel of the event. In keeping with the spirit of the tribute and the setting, the design evolved into a simple but beautiful environment where an extraordinary beaded curtain rendition of the official portrait (commissioned from Usha Seejaarim) took centre stage flanked by rows of lit candles.
However, before the actual ceremonies transpired in relatively idyllic weather on the day of the service, there were a whole slew of challenges experienced by Gearhouse and its team in orchestrating the logistics that had been pre-agreed upon many months beforehand.
One of the issues was the challenge of gaining access to the gigantic venue at such short notice due to the very nature of the event. This posed logistical problems because if the structure was out at another event it would take a minimum of three days to dismantle it and get it down to Qunu. An agreement was then reached based on the most secure option whereby the South African government would purchase the venue and have it stored close to the Qunu hillside venue. This eliminated the wildcard of potential unavailability of the structure, put a large amount of the infrastructure for the event near the venue and negated the need for trucking it to the venue. Additionally, to save time, anchors for the structure were pre-installed.
The next challenge faced was the issue of the venue being located in a rural area that lacked substantial hotels or accommodation. The sparse accommodation in the area had already been pre-booked by international media so an alternative solution was required for Gearhouse and its crew. With little choice, Gearhouse rented a piece of land based on a year-long lease near the venue. Bedding, tents, communal showers and all other necessary amenities were then installed at what was dubbed “the road camp’, including electrical upgrades. A total of around 90 crew and personnel utilised the road camp.
Most likely the biggest challenge during the days leading up to the ceremony and getting the dome venue constructed was the weather. While the first two days of construction were relatively drizzle free, the following four days were fraught with relentless precipitation and wind bursts of up to 50km/h. This, of course, had a devastating effect on working conditions. The solution was to start off with the frame structure and install the decking as the skin was progressively applied so as to get the working area under cover. As the floor was being laid, lighting, staging, trussing and audio were also progressively installed until the structure was completely erected, equipped and carpeted. The finished venue was handed over six days and 23 hours after crew and personnel had arrived on site – over a week less than it would have normally taken under normal conditions.
Audio for the ceremony consisted of a combination of L’Acoustics Kara, dV-DOSC and HI Q 115XT loudspeakers while lighting consisted of a combination of Robe, Varilight and Martin fixtures. Christie 20K projectors were used for AV duties.
The Wrap
The State Funeral in Qunu was an event that all who attended and were involved in will remember for their lifetimes. The challenges faced by the technical crew, I’m sure, will not be forgotten as well because in the spirit of the man who they were there to pay tribute to and bid farewell, they triumphed over adversity.
