South Africa Celebrates Nelson Mandela's Birthday
KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. And welcome to News Stream where news and technology meet. Now South African's celebrate an ailing icon: Nelson Mandela turns 95 today. A popular Russian opposition leader is sentenced to five years in prison for embezzlement. And Wayne Rooney: looks like he's on the way out of Manchester United. Now it is a day that many South Africans feared would not come. Their beloved former president has turned 95. And this is the crowd outside Nelson Mandela's hospital in Pretoria. He has been there since June 8. Mandela has been in critical condition, but doctors now say his health is steadily improving. And as Mandela recuperates, people around the world are making his birthday with community service. Robyn Curnow shows us what Mandela Day means to South Africans in particular.</s>ROBYN CURNOW, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They are bikers, but today they paint for Nelson Mandela.</s>ZELDA LA GRANGE, MANDELA'S PERSONAL ASSISTANT: Whatever it is you choose as a sport, or as a club, or even people playing boca (ph) can do something for Mandela Day.</s>CURNOW: Mandela Day is marked by the United Nations every year on his birthday, a day meant to inspire people around the globe to give back, to serve, just like the man.</s>SELLO HATANG, CEO, NELSON MANDELA CENTER OF MEMORY: Nelson Mandela left us a gift. And we need to make it live on. And 18th of July represents that.</s>CURNOW: As the archivists look through the papers at the foundation that bears Mandela's name, there's a sense of sadness. So much of these documents in this archive relate to his past, but he's still here now. That long walk that we talk about, that struggle...</s>VERNE HARRIS, MANDELA ARCHIVIST: Well, you know, he's gone. He's gone as an active participant in our public life. He's not a player anymore. And the message to us, I think as a country, is that we need to grow up.</s>CURNOW: A realization that as he turns 95, Mandela lies critically ill in a hospital bed where he's remained for more than a month. His family says now is the time more than ever to live out his legacy.</s>ZINZI MANDELA, DAUTHER: It's very important to me as a daughter to be able to uphold my father's legacy and get involved in any way. I this it's a beautiful gift that we can give him.</s>JOSINA MACHEL, DAUTHER: Having been able to share him with this country, with this continent, with the world, is really been, you know, a bit overwhelming.</s>CURNOW: A man shared by the world who said years ago the greatest birthday gift he could ever receive is the gift of service to others. Robyn Curnow, CNN, Madrab (ph), South Africa.</s>LU STOUT: And if Mandela is looking out of his hospital room window right now, he is seeing a huge display of love. Now Nkepile Mabuse joins us now live from Pretoria. And Nkepile, describe the scene for us.</s>NKEPILE MABUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRSESPONDENT: We're seeing a hive of activity outside the hospital that has been treating Nelson Mandela for the past 41 days. Since early this morning, we saw groups of young school children come here to sing happy birthday. And behind me, people are actually using their lunch hour to come out here and really express their appreciation for a man that they regard as the father of this nation. You will see here, lots of balloons, lots of cards, flowers, posters, even paintings - one painting just simply saying you have touched our lives. Some people thanking Nelson Mandela for a free South Africa. And one commentator here in South Africa says even in ill-health, Nelson Mandela has managed to unite this nation - Kristie.</s>LU STOUT: That's right. It is a day of celebration, a day of service and of love, Nkepile. But it's also on this day that a family dispute is back in court. What can you tell us?</s>MABUSE: Exactly. I mean, publicly you will see family members, of course, take part in giving back to those who are less fortunate. Nelson Mandela day, since 2009, has been a day that the United Nations uses to encourage people to make things a little easier for somebody who doesn't have what you have, to demonstrate kindness and service to others just like Nelson Mandela did for 67 years of his life, fighting for democracy and then consolidating racial harmony here in South Africa. But, you know, so you will see family members go to schools, give a little bit of their time to others. But behind the scenes, Kristie, yes, that ugly public battle over where the graves of Mr. Mandela's three deceased children should be is ongoing in an Eastern Cape court. One member of the family, Mandla Mandela, who is the eldest grandson of Nelson Mandela, believes that they should be buried in Mvezo where Nelson Mandela was born. The rest of the family believes that these remains should be buried in Qunu where Nelson Mandela will ultimately be buried. We understand from Mandla Mandela's spokesperson that he does not necessarily want the judgment that was made against him to be changed in order for him to repatriate the bodies. What he wants is for the judgment to be rescinded because he says that it was based on incorrect information. So he does not necessarily want the remains repatriated, he just wants the court to look at how they reached this judgment and look at the details that were given by members of the family. He says that wrong information was given to the courts. But we're expecting majority of the family members to come to this hospital to have lunch here and to give Mr. Mandela a gift for his birthday - Kriste.</s>LU STOUT: And Nkepile, as you're standing outside the hospital there in Pretoria, what is the latest on Nelson Mandela and his health?</s>MABUSE: I think what was made a lot of South Africans, what have uplifted their spirits even more - I mean, you've seen people dancing and singing here all morning is the news that they got this morning from the president's office saying that Mr. Mandela's health is steadily improving. We've also heard from family members who have expressed hope that Mr. Mandela may be discharged from this hospital behind me. This has made South African's smile a little bit more and feel more jubilant in celebrating a life that they revere, you know, from young, old, black, white, people from all sections of society coming here really to express their gratitude for Nelson Mandela and his life and what he's contributed to this country. So, feeling a little bit less anxious, I would say, because of the news, the positive news that they've heard from the president's office - Kristie.</s>LU STOUT: Yeah. And I couldn't help but notice that you've been beaming all day as well. Nkepile Mabuse joining us live from Pretoria, thank you, and take care. Now over on CNN.com you can view Mandela's life in pictures from his early days with the African national congress to the day he was released from prison after 27 years behind bars. You can find it all at CNN.com. Now, coming up next here on News Stream, North Korea wants its ship back. Pyongyang says that Cuban weapons found on their vessel are part of a legitimate deal. And over to cricket, a look back at the thrilling first Ashes test between England and Australia. And in Russia, a popular opposition figure is convicted for embezzlement. We'll go live to Moscow. And keep watching News Stream.