Crowds celebrate Mandela's life

Hundreds came to pay their respects outside Mr Mandela's home in the suburb of Houghton

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.

One of his grandsons. Mbuso Mandela, laid wreaths in his grandfather's memory.

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.

•             Sunday will be an official day of prayer and reflection with special religious services

•             On Tuesday, a service of national mourning will be held at a 95,000-seater stadium on the outskirts of Johannesburg

•             Mandela's body will lie in state from Wednesday to Friday in the capital, Pretoria

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".

"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.

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.