DHAKA: Thousands of South Africans are expected to take part in a day of "prayer and reflection" for late President Nelson Mandela.

President Jacob Zuma will attend a service in a Methodist church in Johannesburg, with other multi-faith services planned throughout the day, reports BBC.

A national memorial service will be held on Tuesday, ahead of a state funeral on 15 December.

South Africans have been holding vigils since Mandela died on Thursday.

President Jacob Zuma urged South Africans to go to stadiums, halls, churches, temples or synagogues on Sunday to remember their former leader.

"We should, while mourning, also sing at the top of our voices, dance and do whatever we want to do, to celebrate the life of this outstanding revolutionary who kept the spirit of freedom alive and led us to a new society. Let us sing for Madiba," he said, using Mandela`s clan name.

Mandela`s successor as president, Thabo Mbeki, will attend a service at the Oxford Shul synagogue in Johannesburg in the afternoon.

Other senior politicians and ANC officials will go to services across the city, and the country.

Although crowds have already been out in many towns and cities, the government and the ANC want to make more scattered communities feel more intimately involved, the BBC`s James Robbins reports from Johannesburg

BDST: 1244 HRS, DEC 08, 2013