S. Africans React Coolly to Mandela Trip : Coverage: Black press indifferent to his welcome abroad; white-oriented papers and television criticize what they see as adulation.

Nelson R. Mandela is drawing huge crowds and garnering accolades at every stop on his international tour. But at home, the reaction ranges from indifference to criticism. He hasn’t made Page 1 in the nation’s largest black daily newspaper.

Teacher strikes in black schools, the African National Congress’ rivalry with other black groups and even the troubled marriage of a black pop singer have all been judged more interesting by the editors of the Sowetan, Mandela’s hometown paper.

The Sowetan--based in the Soweto township where Mandela lives--generally gives close coverage to his activities. But it has not published a front-page story or picture of his trip since he left South Africa on June 4.

Mandela begins an eight-city U.S. visit on Wednesday, when he will arrive in New York.

Mandela’s repeated calls for continued economic sanctions against South Africa have drawn criticism from City Press, another leading black newspaper that traditionally backs the ANC.

“Sanctions cannot be prolonged any longer,” City Press said in an editorial Sunday. “We do not want to inherit a wasteland.”

Mandela, released Feb. 11 after more than 27 years in prison, has received almost daily coverage in white-oriented newspapers and government-run television.

Most of the reports have focused on the sanctions issue and what the publications perceive as uncritical adulation of the ANC leader.

“We do not begrudge the Americans their right to fete him,” said the Citizen, a pro-government daily, “but we do feel they should welcome Mr. Mandela, the man, rather than Mr. Mandela, the legend, the god, the new Christ. . . . “