His granddaughter, Ndileka Mandela, is in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, where two statues will be unveiled in honour of her grandfather. She says that the country needs to address the extreme levels of violence and work towards economic freedom for all.

Ndileka Mandela, who is also a social activist and an author, says that South Africa has achieved the first building block of freedom, but still has a long way to go to fulfil Madiba's vision. She says that the country needs a long-term plan that prioritizes the basic needs of the people, such as food, shelter and employment.

"You can't ask people to be hopeful when they are hungry. The basic need is shelter, food and employment, which is at the bottom. You can't have a person say they need to have a vision, which is a third eye at the top of the hierarchy when they are still starving," she said.

She also urges South Africans to emulate Mandela's values of compassion, humility and forgiveness, and to stand up against injustice and corruption. She says that Mandela Day is not only about doing good deeds for 67 minutes but also about living a life of service and dignity.

--SABC--