Nelson Mandela is spending his 95th birthday in hospital in Pretoria, as events take place around the world and in South Africa in his honour, BBC News reported.

South Africans are being urged to mark 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, entered hospital on 8 June.

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 in a statement. "We thank all our people for supporting Madiba throughout the hospitalisation with undying love and compassion," he said, referring to Mandela's clan name.