South Africans celebrated former President Nelson Mandela’s 93rd birthday on 18th July. His foundation urged people to do 67 minutes of voluntary work on the day - to represent the 67 years he devoted to South Africa’s political struggle.
The anti-apartheid icon spent the day with family in his home village of Qunu in the Eastern Cape, where he was also visited by President Jacob Zuma.
Millions of schoolchildren sang him a special birthday song before lessons. The song Happy Birthday Tata Madiba - specially composed for his 93rd birthday - was sung at school assemblies across the country.It is not clear whether the target of 12.4 million was reached to set a new world record for the number of people singing to an individual at the same time.
Mandela, who is a hero to many in South Africa and around the world for his long fight against white minority rule, has appeared increasingly frail since he retired from public life in 2004.
South African companies, charities and celebrities announced plans for voluntary work on the day. Mandela’s wife, Graca Machel, spent her morning working in a community vegetable garden in Qunu, then cut a birthday cake and shared it with local children.
After leaving prison in 1990 following 27 years in jail, he led the African National Congress party to a landslide victory in 1994 - the first time South Africa’s black majority was allowed to vote.
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