• LOVING TOUCH: Nelson Mandela’s wife, Graca Machel, fixes his hair during the inauguration of Jacob Zuma as South Africa’s president at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on May 9 2009. Picture: AFP

  • FAMOUS FRIENDS: Nelson Mandela greets Oprah Winfrey at the Nelson Mandela Foundation gala dinner in preparation for the 46664 concert at Vergelegen Estate, Cape Town, on November 27 2003. Picture: GETTY IMAGES

  • HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Nelson Mandela turns 90 at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, in August 2008 with, from left, Graca Machel, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and former president Thabo Mbeki. Picture: BEELD

  • BEREAVED: Nelson Mandela attends the funeral of his great-granddaughter Zenani Mandela at the St Stithian’s College Chapel in Sandton on June 17 2010. Thirteen-year-old Zenani Mandela was killed in a car that overturned as it took her home from a pre-World Cup concert in Soweto. Picture: AFP

  • ROCK ON: Bono and Nelson Mandela at the Nelson Mandela Foundation gala dinner ahead of the 46664 concert at Vergelegen Estate, Cape Town, on November 27 2003. Picture: GETTY IMAGES

  • IN PUBLIC: Nelson Mandela and his long-time personal assistant Zelda la Grange at the V&A; Waterfront, Cape Town. Picture: GETTY IMAGES

  • WARM WELCOME: Cuban leader Fidel Castro greets Nelson Mandela at the Non-Aligned Movement conference in Durban in 1998. Picture: GETTY IMAGES

  • FASHIONABLE: Nelson Mandela with Nicky Oppenheimer, head of De Beers, and South African high commissioner Cheryl Carolus attend the De Beers Fashion Show in aid of Mandela’s new charity foundation at South Africa House in London in May 2001. Picture: GETTY IMAGES

  • PEACE TALK: Nelson Mandela in discussions in the early 1990s after his release from prison. Picture: GETTY IMAGES

  • RECONCILIATION: Nelson Mandela meets the wives of former South African leaders in 1994. On the right is Betsie Verwoerd, widow of former prime minister Hendrik Verwoerd; front left is Elize Botha, wife of PW Botha. Picture: GALLO IMAGES

  • THREE LEADERS: Nelson Mandela celebrates his 90th birthday with then president Thabo Mbeki and African National Congress leader Jacob Zuma at Loftus Stadium in August 2008. Picture: GALLO IMAGES

  • BIG DAY: Nelson Mandela waves next to his wife, Graca Machel, during the closing ceremony before the Soccer World Cup final match between the Netherlands and Spain on July 11 2010 in Johannesburg. Picture: GETTY IMAGES

  • FREEDOM: Nelson Mandela and his wife at the time, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, soon after his release from prison in 1990. Picture: GALLO IMAGES

  • HAVING A WORD: Nelson Mandela listens to his former US counterpart, Bill Clinton, during the third Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture on July 19 2005 in Johannesburg. Mandela was presented with a white cake with four candles for his 87th birthday. Picture: AFP

  • ABROAD: Nelson Mandela leaves No 10 Downing Street with Tony Blair, British prime minister at the time, in London on February 3 2005. Mandela, speaking at a rally in Trafalgar Square earlier, demanded freedom for the millions of ‘slaves’ of poverty worldwide on the eve of a meeting in London of the world’s richest nations. Picture: AFP

  • MOMENT OF GLORY: The inauguration of president Thabo Mbeki in April 2004, pictured with former president Nelson Mandela.

  • TRUE ROMANCE: An early, undated picture of Nelson Mandela and his wife at the time, Winnie Mandela. Picture: GALLO IMAGES

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The life of former president Nelson Mandela in pictures