Keep Mandela's legacy alive, govt asks South Africans

Ahead of ailing anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela's 95th birthday, the South African government today appealed to the people to keep his legacy and sacrifice alive to inspire future generations.
Mandela, who turns 95 on July 18, remained "critical but stable" on the 25th day of his hospitalisation for a recurring lung ailment.
To mark the upcoming birthday of the democracy icon, the government appealed to citizens to make the occasion the "biggest Mandela Day ever on the 18th of July, focusing on doing good all over the country."
The theme for Mandela Month 2013 has been declared to be "Take Action, Inspire Change. Make Every Day a Mandela Day."

"Madiba has made an indelible mark on our society, having overseen the transition from apartheid to a society built on the pillars of democracy and freedom," Phumla Williams, acting CEO of Government Communication and Information System, said using Mandela's clan name.
"To celebrate Mandela Month, South Africans need to uphold Madiba's ideals, including his unwavering commitment to justice, equality and a non-racial South Africa," Williams added.

In 2010, the UN General Assembly declared July 18 as Nelson Mandela International Day.
Mandela is revered for leading the fight against white minority rule in the African country and then preaching reconciliation despite being imprisoned for 27 years.

Mandela served as the country's first black president from 1994 to 1999. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.