Nelson Mandela's bodyguard Sam Prakash‚ who was there when the statesman cast his vote in the country's first democratic elections on April 27‚ 1994‚ said he believed Madiba would not be happy with South Africa of today.

"If Madiba was alive‚ he definitely would have wanted peace. I think he would have been ashamed to see the violence in the country; that the inequality is still as the day he left us‚” he said.

“What we need as a country - and this goes to all politicians - we need to look at ways and means of sharing the wealth in this country‚ in a peaceful manner‚ so that we can all have something from a very beautiful‚ rich country."

Prakash‚ who was tasked with VIP protection of Mandela in KwaZulu-Natal‚ recalled being at Ohlange Institute in Inanda‚ Durban‚ in 1994.

"When we came in here‚ it was very early in the morning and I was part of the delegation. Being here when his first vote took place and being here today‚ on his 100th anniversary‚ is memorable actually. I can still feel his aura around. Mandela was such a great man."

Prakash was speaking to TimesLIVE before a lecture to celebrate Freedom Day at Ohlange Institute and to pay tribute to stalwarts who contributed to the liberation of black people in South Africa including John Langalibalele Dube‚ who founded the institute in 1900‚ Pixley ka Isaka Seme‚ founder of the South African Native National Congress (SANNC)‚ the precursor of the ANC‚ Mahatma Gandhi‚ leader of India's non-violent independence movement against British rule and in South Africa‚ and Mandela.

This year marks 100 years since Mandela's birth.