Nelson Mandela Thursday celebrated his 95th birthday in hospital in Pretoria while his supporters and countrymen prayed for his speedy recovery. 
South Africans are being urged to match the former president and anti-apartheid leader's 67 years of public service with 67 minutes of charitable acts. 
Mandela, who is in critical but stable condition with a recurring lung infection, was admitted to hospital June 8. President Jacob Zuma said his health was "steadily improving". 
"We are proud to call this international icon our own as South Africans and wish him good health," Zuma said.
"We thank all our people for supporting Madiba throughout the hospitalisation with undying love and compassion," he said, referring to Mandela's clan name. 

Mandela's daughter, Zindzi, Wednesday said he had made "dramatic progress", and that she had found him watching television with headphones on and communicating with his eyes and hands when she visited him this week.
Source: BNA