South Africa mourns Mandela amid racial tensions fears Desmond Tutu has moved to calm fears the death of Nelson Mandela will reignite racial tensions in South Africa Former Anglican Archbishop Tutu said claims the country might regress would "discredit Madiba's legacy." Mandela, 95, died on Thursday evening after a long illness, prompting an avalanche of tributes. Flags flew at half mast as South Africa entered a period of mourning leading up to his state funeral on December 15 in Qunu. A memorial service will take place at FNB stadium in Johannesburg on 10 December. While South Africa has been united in mourning Nelson Mandela, some voices have expressed fears about what the future holds without him. Sharon Qubeka, 28, a secretary from Johannesburg, told Reuters: "It's not going to be good, hey! I think it's going to become a more racist country. People will turn on each other and chase foreigners away. Mandela was the only one who kept things together. "I feel like I lost my father, someone who would look out for me," said Joseph Nkosi, 36, a security guard from Alexandra township in Johannesburg. Referring to Mandela by his clan name, he added: "Now without Madiba I feel like I don't have a chance. The rich will get richer and simply forget about us. The poor don't matter to them. Look at our politicians, they are nothing like Madiba. But Tutu said in a statement: To suggest that South Africa might go up in flames - as some have predicted - is to discredit South Africans and Madiba's legacy. The sun will rise tomorrow, and the next day and the next... It may not appear as bright as yesterday, but life will carry on. It comes as South Africans began taking in a future without Mandela - more and more people have been gathering at the family home in Johannesburg where he died in the company of his family.