Nelson Mandela passed away, Crowds gather to show respect
Large crowds of South Africans have spent a second night on the streets to pay tribute to former leader Nelson Mandela, who died on Thursday aged 95.
People have been remembering his legacy, dancing and singing in front of Mandela's former home in Soweto.
He is to be accorded a state funeral on Sunday 15 December, President Jacob Zuma announced.
Mandela spent 27 years in jail before becoming South Africa's first black president in 1994.
His administration replaced the racist white-minority regime that had enforced segregation of black and white people in a policy known as apartheid.
Mandela went on to become one of the world's most respected statesmen.
South Africans across the country have been saying prayers, singing anti-apartheid songs and lighting candles.
Hundreds are gathered outside Mandela's home in Johannesburg's northern suburb of Houghton, where he died.
They have been sharing memories of the former leader, recounting how they drew inspiration from his life.
A stage has been erected near the house, from where priests have led the crowd in prayers.
People have also been gathering before the Union Buildings in the administrative capital Pretoria.
"I was born after he became president and I just remember the South Africa he left to us, the South Africa he gave to us," one mourner at the site was quoted as saying by Reuters.
"So today will be a good day to give him, some flowers to remember him and the South Africa he fought for."
President Zuma visited the house on Friday to pay his respects.
At a news conference, Zuma outlined a week of events to mourn the former president.
Next Sunday's funeral will be held in the village of Qunu in the Eastern Cape, where Mandela grew up. South African Airways has announced that it will provide extra flights to Qunu for mourners.
Hundreds have attended an interfaith remembrance service outside Cape Town's City Hall. The Johannesburg stock exchange suspended operations for five minutes on Friday as a mark of respect.
Criticism
"We sincerely thank all South Africans for the dignified manner in which they have respected and responded to the monumental loss of this international icon," Zuma said.
Speaking in Cape Town, Mandela's long-time ally, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, described him as an "incredible gift" to South Africa.
"He taught us extraordinarily practical lessons about forgiveness, compassion and reconciliation."
He also cited Mandela's weaknesses, including "his steadfast loyalty to his organisation and some of his colleagues who ultimately let him down".
Mandela had been receiving treatment at home for a recurring lung illness since September, when he was discharged from hospital.
As soon as the news of his death broke late on Thursday, small crowds began to gather in Soweto's Vilakazi Street, where Mandela lived in the 1940s and 1950s.
Across the world, leaders, celebrities and members of the public have been paying tribute.
Pope Francis said Mandela had forged "a new South Africa built on the firm foundations of non-violence, reconciliation and truth".
Queen Elizabeth II said she was "deeply saddened" to learn of Mandela's death and said she remembered her meetings with him "with great warmth".
What was apartheid? A 90-second look back at decades of injustice
"He achieved more than could be expected of any man. Today, he has gone home," said US President Barack Obama.
The White House has announced that Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will be travelling to South Africa next week to pay their respects and take part in memorial events.
South Africans are mourning Nelson Mandela through songs of struggle and church hymns. One of the songs is "Nelson Mandela ha hona ea tshwanang le yena" which in Sotho means there is no-one like Nelson Mandela. This song and many others like it encapsulate the deep sense of loss here and the realisation that his passing marks the end of an era.
Even South Africans who had never met him had made a special place for him in their hearts. They will remember him as the father of the nation, who brought an end to apartheid and delivered the nation from the brink of civil war.
Children carrying posters slowly march up and down Vilakazi street, where Mandela's Soweto home is. Others are standing outside his old house, now turned into a museum.
There is an air of heaviness here - none of the loud hooting of minibus taxis that usually make up the energy of this busy street, no cars speeding down blaring loud music. Instead those not part of the mournful singing speak in hushed tones. Elderly women with walking sticks are part of the group that has come to send off the nation's icon.
The opening of a summit of African leaders in Paris to discuss security was dedicated to Mandela, with many of those present paying tribute.
Flags are flying at half-mast on government buildings in Washington DC, Paris and across South Africa. The European Union and world football body Fifa have also ordered their flags to be lowered.
Parliament in Pretoria is expected to hold a special joint session to reflect on Mandela's life and legacy.
The BBC's Mike Wooldridge in Johannesburg says South Africa will never have seen a state funeral like it, with leaders, dignitaries and other admirers of the former president expected from all over the world.
It will be a huge logistical challenge, especially given the remoteness of Qunu, our correspondent adds.
Mandela died shortly before 21:00 local time (19:00 GMT) on Thursday.
He won admiration around the world when he preached reconciliation after being freed from almost three decades of imprisonment.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 along with FW de Klerk, South Africa's last white president.
Mr de Klerk, who ordered Mandela's release from jail, called him a "unifier" and said he had "a remarkable lack of bitterness".
A tribute sits amongst flowers at the base of a statue of Nelson Mandela at Parliament Square in London on 6 December, 2013 Mandela's death has been marked around the world with people leaving tributes such as this one in London
Mandela had rarely been seen in public since officially retiring in 2004. He made his last public appearance in 2010, at the football World Cup in South Africa.
Roving diplomat
Born in 1918, Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1943, as a law student.
He and other ANC leaders campaigned against apartheid.
Initially he campaigned peacefully but in the 1960s the ANC began to advocate violence, and Mandela was made the commander of its armed wing.
He was arrested for sabotage and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964, serving most of his sentence on Robben Island.
He was released in 1990 as South Africa began to move away from strict racial segregation - a process completed by the first multi-racial elections in 1994.
Mandela served a single term as president before stepping down in 1999.
After leaving office, he became South Africa's highest-profile ambassador, campaigning against HIV/Aids and helping to secure his country's right to host the 2010 football World Cup.
-BBC Online
He is to be accorded a state funeral on Sunday 15 December, President Jacob Zuma announced.
Mandela spent 27 years in jail before becoming South Africa's first black president in 1994.
His administration replaced the racist white-minority regime that had enforced segregation of black and white people in a policy known as apartheid.
Mandela went on to become one of the world's most respected statesmen.
South Africans across the country have been saying prayers, singing anti-apartheid songs and lighting candles.
Hundreds are gathered outside Mandela's home in Johannesburg's northern suburb of Houghton, where he died.
They have been sharing memories of the former leader, recounting how they drew inspiration from his life.
A stage has been erected near the house, from where priests have led the crowd in prayers.
People have also been gathering before the Union Buildings in the administrative capital Pretoria.
"I was born after he became president and I just remember the South Africa he left to us, the South Africa he gave to us," one mourner at the site was quoted as saying by Reuters.
"So today will be a good day to give him, some flowers to remember him and the South Africa he fought for."
President Zuma visited the house on Friday to pay his respects.
At a news conference, Zuma outlined a week of events to mourn the former president.
Next Sunday's funeral will be held in the village of Qunu in the Eastern Cape, where Mandela grew up. South African Airways has announced that it will provide extra flights to Qunu for mourners.
Hundreds have attended an interfaith remembrance service outside Cape Town's City Hall. The Johannesburg stock exchange suspended operations for five minutes on Friday as a mark of respect.
Criticism
"We sincerely thank all South Africans for the dignified manner in which they have respected and responded to the monumental loss of this international icon," Zuma said.
Speaking in Cape Town, Mandela's long-time ally, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, described him as an "incredible gift" to South Africa.
"He taught us extraordinarily practical lessons about forgiveness, compassion and reconciliation."
He also cited Mandela's weaknesses, including "his steadfast loyalty to his organisation and some of his colleagues who ultimately let him down".
Mandela had been receiving treatment at home for a recurring lung illness since September, when he was discharged from hospital.
As soon as the news of his death broke late on Thursday, small crowds began to gather in Soweto's Vilakazi Street, where Mandela lived in the 1940s and 1950s.
Across the world, leaders, celebrities and members of the public have been paying tribute.
Pope Francis said Mandela had forged "a new South Africa built on the firm foundations of non-violence, reconciliation and truth".
Queen Elizabeth II said she was "deeply saddened" to learn of Mandela's death and said she remembered her meetings with him "with great warmth".
What was apartheid? A 90-second look back at decades of injustice
"He achieved more than could be expected of any man. Today, he has gone home," said US President Barack Obama.
The White House has announced that Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will be travelling to South Africa next week to pay their respects and take part in memorial events.
South Africans are mourning Nelson Mandela through songs of struggle and church hymns. One of the songs is "Nelson Mandela ha hona ea tshwanang le yena" which in Sotho means there is no-one like Nelson Mandela. This song and many others like it encapsulate the deep sense of loss here and the realisation that his passing marks the end of an era.
Even South Africans who had never met him had made a special place for him in their hearts. They will remember him as the father of the nation, who brought an end to apartheid and delivered the nation from the brink of civil war.
Children carrying posters slowly march up and down Vilakazi street, where Mandela's Soweto home is. Others are standing outside his old house, now turned into a museum.
There is an air of heaviness here - none of the loud hooting of minibus taxis that usually make up the energy of this busy street, no cars speeding down blaring loud music. Instead those not part of the mournful singing speak in hushed tones. Elderly women with walking sticks are part of the group that has come to send off the nation's icon.
The opening of a summit of African leaders in Paris to discuss security was dedicated to Mandela, with many of those present paying tribute.
Flags are flying at half-mast on government buildings in Washington DC, Paris and across South Africa. The European Union and world football body Fifa have also ordered their flags to be lowered.
Parliament in Pretoria is expected to hold a special joint session to reflect on Mandela's life and legacy.
The BBC's Mike Wooldridge in Johannesburg says South Africa will never have seen a state funeral like it, with leaders, dignitaries and other admirers of the former president expected from all over the world.
It will be a huge logistical challenge, especially given the remoteness of Qunu, our correspondent adds.
Mandela died shortly before 21:00 local time (19:00 GMT) on Thursday.
He won admiration around the world when he preached reconciliation after being freed from almost three decades of imprisonment.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 along with FW de Klerk, South Africa's last white president.
Mr de Klerk, who ordered Mandela's release from jail, called him a "unifier" and said he had "a remarkable lack of bitterness".
A tribute sits amongst flowers at the base of a statue of Nelson Mandela at Parliament Square in London on 6 December, 2013 Mandela's death has been marked around the world with people leaving tributes such as this one in London
Mandela had rarely been seen in public since officially retiring in 2004. He made his last public appearance in 2010, at the football World Cup in South Africa.
Roving diplomat
Born in 1918, Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1943, as a law student.
He and other ANC leaders campaigned against apartheid.
Initially he campaigned peacefully but in the 1960s the ANC began to advocate violence, and Mandela was made the commander of its armed wing.
He was arrested for sabotage and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964, serving most of his sentence on Robben Island.
He was released in 1990 as South Africa began to move away from strict racial segregation - a process completed by the first multi-racial elections in 1994.
Mandela served a single term as president before stepping down in 1999.
After leaving office, he became South Africa's highest-profile ambassador, campaigning against HIV/Aids and helping to secure his country's right to host the 2010 football World Cup.
-BBC Online
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