One of Nelson Mandela's "greatest friends" from his prison days has died aged 89, the former president's foundation announced.

Anti-apartheid activist Eddie Daniels spent 15 years in prison for his part in the struggle and became friends with Mr Mandela.

Daniels did not forget his friend once he left prison in 1979 - he even hatched a plot to rescue Mandela by helicopter from his island jail.

According to the Nelson Mandela Foundation, he even went as far as picking a date - 1 January, 1981.

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