With others, he kept our morale high and our spirits high, helping us through difficult times.'

Kathrada said he would leave Mandela to spend his birthday in peace with his family. 'But I pray that he still has many happy years and that South Africans and the rest of the world do something to support his legacy.'

Mandela Day has already caught the imagination of millions of people in South Africa as well as the US and other countries, who will spend 67 minutes Saturday doing something that is of benefit to their fellow citizens - one minute for each year that Mandela, who will turn 91, spent in service of mankind.

Besides huge musical events at various centres here, people have started projects to clean up the environment, provide food and blankets to the needy during the current bitter cold weather.