Zinedine Zidane and Reggie Bush visit the Nelson Mandela Foundation

June 22, 2010 – Yesterday American football star Reggie Bush and French soccer legend Zinedine Zidane visited the Nelson Mandela Foundation to learn more about the Foundation’s work.

Bush, who plays football with the New Orleans Saints, is in South Africa to support the American soccer team as part of the adidas “Every team needs a fan” campaign, which aims to generate excitement for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ by getting other sports fans behind the game and teaching people about South Africa.

He visited the Nelson Mandela Foundation’s offices as well as the 46664 bangle factory to learn more about the work that the Foundation and 46664 does in South Africa and across the continent.

While visiting the 46664 bangle factory, Bush, accompanied by his close friend, Thomas Williams, American football player with the New England Patriots, met Robert Coutts, CEO of the 46664 bangle campaign. Coutts told his visitors about the significance of the number 46664, Nelson Mandela’s prison number, explaining that while the campaign started just around HIV/AIDS, it has been extended to include the fight against all social injustice.

Bush said, “I am here to support the US team and enjoy South Africa and learn a bit about the culture, particularly here at the Nelson Mandela Foundation. The bangle factory is significant in the sense that it does a lot of good for HIV/AIDS awareness and I hope that I can help by bringing more awareness to the issue.”

Following the tour of the bangle factory he returned to the Nelson Mandela Foundation where he joined world-famous French midfielder, Zidane, on a tour of Mr Mandela’s office, where the sports stars were also shown some of the gifts and items that are housed in Mr Mandela’s personal archives.

Resource Development Manager Ruth Rensburg said: “The Nelson Mandela Foundation focuses on the Centre of Memory and Dialogue, capturing Mr Mandela’s legacy and availing it to the world.”

Following this presentation Zidane autographed and then presented the Nelson Mandela Foundation with a pair of custom-made soccer boots adorned with the French and South African flags and inscribed with the words “Zinedine Zidane”, “Jo’burg” and “2010 FIFA World Cup”.

Zidane said: “It is very important to be here because Nelson Mandela has written history, great history with a great H. The fact of the matter is, all of the world is [represented] here [through the many gifts] and that is because this man is very, very special.”