EU leaders congratulate Mandela on his birthday

Mandela has turned 90

European Union leaders have added their congratulations to many others on the occasion of Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has quoted an African proverb "until the lion has his own storyteller, the hunter will always have the best part of the story". He says when the lion, Mandela, was able to tell his people's story, his words were those of freedom and reconciliation.

Foreign Policy Chief of the EU, Javier Solana says he has no other friends with the same character, strength and dedication as Madiba.

As Nelson Mandela celebrates his 90th, the recent Ipsos/Markinor poll has found that Mandela is still the most loved public figure amongst all South Africans.

The report says Mandela maintained a rating of between 7.2/10 and 8.2/10 during the entire term of his presidency. After retiring as president, Madiba's popularity continued to grow.