Mandela turns 95 today

Interest in the Nelson Mandela International Day has ignited as a result of the former South African president’s hospitalization. A Johannesburg-based foundation named after Mandela and numerous other groups have asked people to volunteer 67 minutes to charity to match what they say are the 67 years that Mandela served his community. Mandela led South […]

Interest in the Nelson Mandela International Day has ignited as a result of the former South African president’s hospitalization.
A Johannesburg-based foundation named after Mandela and numerous other groups have asked people to volunteer 67 minutes to charity to match what they say are the 67 years that Mandela served his community. Mandela led South Africa through a tense transition from apartheid to democracy and became president in the country’s first all-race elections in 1994.
President Jacob Zuma will mark the birthday by overseeing the donation of houses to poor white families in the Pretoria area, in line with his cabinet’s theme to commemorate Mandela’s birthday this year by focusing on food security, shelter and literacy.
In Cape Town, labour activists are holding an event at St. George’s Cathedral today in remembrance of Mandela’s years of service and to encourage people to donate food to charity while leaving messages of support for the former leader’s family.
Earlier this week, former president Thabo Mbeki predicted Mandela could be discharged from hospital soon to recuperate at home.
Friends who have visited him say he is on life support in the form of mechanical ventilation.
The most recent official update on his health said Mandela was in critical but stable condition. But both Mandela’s wife, Graca Machel, and President Jacob Zuma have said recently that Mandela is responding to treatment.