Art auction to honour Madiba

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu unveiled an artwork, made up of the handprints of 67 famous people, to auction for charity in former president Nelson Mandela's honour ahead of his 93rd birthday on Monday.

"This is a fantastic idea," Tutu said after he and Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille unveiled the artwork at the Cape Town City Hall. Tutu and De Lille's handprints are on the canvas, along with those of former minister Kader Asmal who died last month, Fifa president Sepp Blatter and Bafana Bafana midfielder Steven Pienaar.

"Madiba has said 'it is in your hands' and each of us can do something.

"Each of us can just do a small thing. Sometimes it can just be a smile, or drying a tear. Do what God moves you to do," said Tutu.

He was referring to Mandela's call for every South African to contribute to the community for 67 minutes on his birthday, which was declared International Mandela Day by the United Nations in 2009.