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South African inmates sew blankets for Mandela

In this photo taken Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2014 prisoners in orange jumpsuits, at the Zonderwater prison east of Pretoria, South Africa, crochet blankets. Ahead of the first anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s death, inmates at a South African prison have been making brightly colored blankets to commemorate the anti-apartheid leader who became South Africa’s first black president. The prisoners at the Zonderwater medium security facility outside Pretoria, the South African capital, have sewn the blankets as part of a charity project for poor communities. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
In this photo taken Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2014 prisoners in orange jumpsuits, at the Zonderwater prison east of Pretoria, South Africa, crochet blankets. Ahead of the first anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s death, inmates at a South African prison have been making brightly colored blankets to commemorate the anti-apartheid leader who became South Africa’s first black president. The prisoners at the Zonderwater medium security facility outside Pretoria, the South African capital, have sewn the blankets as part of a charity project for poor communities. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) In this photo taken Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2014 prisoners in orange jumpsuits, at the Zonderwater prison east of Pretoria, South Africa, crochet blankets. Ahead of the first anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s death, inmates at a South African prison have been making brightly colored blankets to commemorate the anti-apartheid leader who became South Africa’s first black president. The prisoners at the Zonderwater medium security facility outside Pretoria, the South African capital, have sewn the blankets as part of a charity project for poor communities. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

By Associated Press 2 min read

JOHANNESBURG (AP) – Ahead of the first anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s death, inmates at a South African prison have been making brightly colored blankets to commemorate the anti-apartheid leader who became South Africa’s first black president.

The prisoners at the Zonderwater medium security facility outside Pretoria, the South African capital, have sewn the blankets as part of a charity project for poor communities.

“A lot of them want to make a difference. They want to do something for Nelson Mandela,” said Carolyn Steyn, founder of a charity called 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day.

South Africans and others around the world annually mark July 18, Mandela’s birthday, with charitable work for 67 minutes to honor what many people refer to as Mandela’s 67 years in public service, which include many years as a prisoner of white racist rule.

He died Dec. 5 last year at the age of 95 after a long illness. South Africans were also preparing to pay tribute to Mandela on Friday, a year after his death.