South African First Lady Ms Nompumelelo Ntuli-Zuma welcomed First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama at Mahlamba Ndlopfu in Pretoria on a visit to South Africa.(PHOTO ESSAY: U.S. First Lady in South Africa )

The United States First Lady Michelle Obama today visited the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory in Johannesburg on the first leg of her trip to South Africa and Botswana.

Accompanied by her mother Marian Robinson, her daughters Malia and Sasha and her niece Leslie and her nephew Avery, Mrs Obama met members of Nelson Mandela’s family and his wife Graca Machel.

Sello Hatang and Sahm Venter, the co-editors of the soon to be released book Nelson Mandela By Himself: The Authorised Quotations Book presented Mrs Obama with an advanced copy.

Mr Hatang and the head of the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory Verne Harris showed the First Lady a display of archival items housed in the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory including prison desk calendars, notebooks and draft letters. She was introduced to Senior Archivist Razia Saleh.

Mrs. Obama expressed appreciation for the display, and said “You are doing very important work”.

Mrs Obama then proceeded to Mr Mandela’s house where she paid him a courtesy call.