She died of cancer aged 86 two days before his historic election victory last month.

If he holds on to the end, he could be punished with a historic election defeat.

Not least because only four years ago, in what was also deemed an historic election, that vision of government's role and purpose seemed to have been buried for ever.

With his historic election, he represented a symbol of black pride and progress, exposing the vulnerability of the institutionalized white power structure.

After a historic election victory in 2001, he became prime minister, the country's first to serve a full term.