UNITED NATIONS - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Thursday mourned the passing of former South African President Nelson Mandela and gave his "deepest condolence" to the family of Mandela and the people of South Africa and Africa as a whole.

"I am profoundly saddened by the passing of Nelson Mandela," Ban told reporters here. "Nelson Mandela was a giant for justice and a down-to-earth human inspiration."

Mandela died on Thursday at the age of 95 after a prolonged lung infection, South African President Jacob Zuma said.

"On behalf of the United Nations, I extend my deepest condolences to Nelson Mandela's family, the people of South Africa, and indeed our global family," Ban said.?