Miriam Makeba is to be honoured by the South African government with a huge public memorial service today in Johannesburg. The service will be held at Johannesburg’s 20,000 seater Coca Cola dome and will be open to the public.

Arts ministry spokesman Sandile Memela told Agence France Presse "musicians, actors and artists" would also attend to remember the 76-year-old performer.

Makeba died last weekend in Italy while performing at a concert in support of an Italian anti-mafia campaigner.

Makeba who won a Grammy Award in 1965 for her collaboration with Harry Belafonte, was famous for hits such as ‘Pata Pata’, ‘The Click Song’, ‘Malaika’and ‘Khawuzela’.