Around 11 p.m. (UTC/GMT+1) I got a phone call from my editor at the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant. Mandela had passed away, if I wanted to write another column for tomorrow’s (Friday’s) newspaper.
I had celebrated Sinterklaas with my godson, his mother and a few other people; I was tired, so I answered: “I’m so sorry, but Mandela will have to wait till Saturday.”