Dec 12, 2013 | 9:54 AM |by SAPA
A bed and breakfast that will open its doors in Qunu on Thursday is charging R1 500 a night for a room with a single bed.
Nelson Mandela's home in the rural Eastern Cape village of Qunu near Mthatha, South Africa on 27 May 2011
A room with two beds will set visitors back R2 000 a night. The establishment, which has six rooms, is within walking distance of former president Nelson Mandela's homestead.
The manager, who declined to give her name, would not reveal whether the prices would change after Mandela's funeral on Sunday.
Three of the rooms had been booked from Friday.
Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Board calls for restraint
Earlier on Wednesday, the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Board called on residents to price their accommodation reasonably.
"Although we cannot dictate the pricing, we encourage the citizens of the Eastern Cape to set their prices within reason," CEO Luxolo Rubeshe said.
He said the locals should treat visitors with dignity and respect to ensure they were satisfied with their experience of the province.
"The Eastern Cape is famous for ubuntu of its people. Now is the time to show this to the rest of the world."
Complaints over R8 000 charges
He said complaints had been received about locals charging exorbitant prices for the use of their houses. In one instance, a person was charging over R8 000 a room per night, he said.
Preparations are under way for the State Funeral at the former statesman Nelson Mandela's Qunu Home on December 9, 2013 in Qunu, South Africa. The Father of the Nation, Nelson Mandela, Tata Madiba, passed away quietly on the evening of December 5, 2013 at his home in Houghton with family. (Photo by Gallo Images / City Press / Leon Sadiki)
Accommodation in Mthatha was said to be 96 percent full, forcing scores of media people to rent houses in the surrounding villages.
Eddie Marafane, the executive director of Destination Tourism in the province, encouraged locals to open their homes.
"We are requesting that the home owners in the area, who are able and willing to share their homes with our visitors, register with the tourism board," he said.
Media prevented from returning to accommodation
Police stopped journalists from going to the houses they are renting, which are in close proximity to former president Nelson Mandela's home in Qunu on Wednesday.
"Everything has been hunky dory, and now all of a sudden we can't go in without any prior warning," a photographer said. "We can't even go inside to fetch our clothes."
He said he had been renting a room on the property - located on the side of the N2 - since Saturday with no problems.
The police initially told him they would escort him in to fetch his belongings, but then said they could not because they would get fired.
Other media houses staying on the same property were stuck outside
Some media houses had paid locals to accommodate their journalists.
Final preparations are underway at the uMthatha airport where dignitaries from all over the world will be arriving at for the funeral of the former state president Nelson Mandela on December 9, 2013 in Umthatha, South Africa. World icon, Nelson Mandela passed away quietly on the evening of December 5, 2013 at his home in Houghton with family. He will be buried in his home town, Qunu. (Photo by Gallo Images / Foto24 / Felix Dlangamandla)
This comes after the local government called on residents to open their homes.
However, on Wednesday, Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane said the media in Qunu was "violating protocol".
This left media confused in Qunu, because it was not clear what was violated.
In a statement Chabane said: "It has, however, come to our attention that some members of the media have violated the protocols and arrangements that are in place in Qunu, and that this is causing frustration for the authorities and the Mandela family and community of Qunu.
"Government appeals to members of the media to respect former president Nelson Mandela's final resting place in Qunu, Eastern Cape."
Calls for sensitivity and respect of the site
Madiba's final resting place was culturally significant to the amaThembu clan and Chabane asked the media to "please be sensitive to this and respect this site".
Police have closed off the N2 - which is the main road to and from Qunu - for a few kilometres before and after Mandela's house.
The side road through Qunu, which media and other people used to get to the house, was closed late on Tuesday afternoon.
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