Sunday, May 30, 1999 Published at 17:47 GMT 18:47 UK

Mandela's farewell rally

Mr Mandela and his successor Thabo Mbeki addressed the crowd

South African President Nelson Mandela has made his last appearance
as head of state, at a big rally in Johannesburg for the African National
Congress.

 Mr Mandela addressed tens of thousands of supporters, who had come to the
rally
near Soweto township to say goodbye to him, and to welcome his successor,
Thabo Mbeki.

"I call upon you to go to the ballot box in your millions to give President
Mbeki and the
ANC the mandate they need to accelerate the transformation (of the
country)," he told
the crowd.

Jane Standley in Soweto: "An emotional farewell"
The rally represents the climax of the ANC's campaign ahead of South
Africa's second
multi-racial elections on Wednesday.

Mr Mbeki told supporters that a vote for the ANC offered the best hope for
the future.

Thousands turned out to say goodbye to the president
"To vote for the ANC means peace, to vote for the ANC means progress, to
vote for
the ANC means a better life for all of our people," he said.

Mr Mandela will officially hand over power on 16 June.

The football stadium where the rally took place was a sea of black, green
and
gold - the ANC's party colours - with supporters singing, dancing and waving
flags
and banners.

Personal endorsement

The occasion has been seen as an opportunity for Mr Mandela endorse his
successor
in perso. Many black voters are unable to read and will rely on pictures on
the ballot
form to make their choice.

Mr Mbeki is keen to win a large majority to proceed with reforms
Elsewhere other parties competing in the election were winding up what has
so far
been a relatively trouble-free campaign.

The only reports of trouble on Sunday were at a United Democratic Movement
election
rally near Cape Town, when members of the ANC confronted UDM supporters.

Shots were fired and at least two ANC supporters were hit during the
incident at a
stadium in Kayelitsha township.

UDM organisers had earlier complained that ANC members were harrassing
people
arriving at the stadium to hear the final election speech of the UDM leader,
Bantu Holomisa.

Broken promises

The ANC is certain to win Wednesday's election, but analysts say it is the
size of the
majority that is important.

BBC correspondent Jane Standley, who was at the Johannesburg rally, says the
ANC's
failure to deliver on promises of millions of new homes and jobs has had
little impact on
the party's huge number of supporters.

Many South Africans still live in deep poverty
If the party secures two-thirds of the votes, which it is on course to do,
it will enable the
ANC to change the constitution.

It says a large victory will give it the mandate to dismantle the economic
legacy of apartheid,
which has left the majority of South Africa's wealth concentrated in the
hands of the minority
white population.

"The struggle did not end five years ago," Mr Mandela told Sunday's rally.
"Reversing 350
years of oppression will take more than five years.

But opposition parties say any changes would be dangerous and argue that too
much
power in the hands of one party is unhealthy for South Africa's fledgling
democracy.