WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., has issued the following statement regarding the passing of former South African President Nelson Mandela:

“I extend my deepest condolences to the Mandela family and the people of South Africa. The story of President Mandela is a remarkable epoch of courage and perseverance. Because of his leadership, South Africans saw an end to apartheid and the beginning of national reconciliation. It was a moving experience for me to visit Robben Island, where Mandela was unjustly held prisoner for more than 27 years. His legacy, however, is much more than his struggle against injustice.”