Commemorative stamp with the portrait of late Nelson Mandela was launched here on Tuesday to mark the 24th anniversary of his release from prison.

The South African Post Office said approximately five million copies of the stamp have been issued to commemorate the first black president in the country.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation praised the issue of the Mandela stamp, saying it will keep Mandela's legacy alive.

"The significance of doing it today is that the 11th of February holds a special place in the life and times of Mandela," said the Nelson Mandela Foundation spokesperson Njabulo Ndebele in Johannesburg.

The anti-apartheid icon was unconditionally set free on Feb. 11, 1990 following serving the prison for 27 years for the national liberation movement.

"We are committed to honoring Mandela's legacy by working hard for the next generation, let us keep striving to make Mandela proud," said Njabulo Ndebele.

On the same day Mandela's granddaughter Ndileka Mandela launched a march at her grandfather's home of Qunu in the southern province of the Eastern Cape to mark the 24th anniversary of Mandela's release from the prison.

Mandela became the first black president as the apartheid ended in South Africa in 1994. He passed away on Dec. 5,2013 in Johannesburg at the age of 95. Endi

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