国际英语新闻:S. Africa to hold Mandela funeral on Dec. 15

JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- The South African government on Friday announced Mandela's funeral will be held on Dec. 15.

The decision came after President Jacob Zuma visited Mandela's family in Johannesburg. Shortly before midnight on Thursday, Zuma announced the 95-year-old anti-apartheid icon passed away at 20:50.

The president said on Friday that the late statesman will be laid to rest at his home in Qunu in the southern province of the Eastern Cape. The national mourning will last for 10 days before the funeral.

From Dec.11 to Dec.13, Mandela's remains will be stationed at the Union Buildings in the administrative capital of Pretoria, according to Zuma.

During the national mourning, Dec. 8 has been declared a Day of Prayer and Reflection and Dec. 10 would be the day for the official memorial service in Johannesburg.

President Zuma thanked all South Africans and the world for their support to the Mandela family.

Mandela was admitted to hospital with the serious recurring lung infection in recent years. He suffered from tuberculosis when he was incarcerated for 27 years before the apartheid ended in 1994.

After being discharged from hospital in Pretoria on Sept. 1, he started his final fight against the disease at his home in Johannesburg.

He was the first democratically-elected president in South Africa, with an honor of the state father in the country.