Former South African President Nelson Mandela has hailed "10 years of progress" since his release from jail - but also lamented the fact that even in retirement he has little time to himself.

Mr Mandela, 81, was speaking at a news conference ahead of the 10th anniversary of his release from Victor Verster prison near Cape Town, on 11 February 1990.

He said the last decade had seen South Africans become "one nation with one destiny".

"Because of good men and women in every community and organisation, people who understood that whatever the differences between us, there were many more things that united us," the former president said.

But he warned: "We cannot expect that policies which have been followed by the authorities for more than three centuries can be removed within a period of 10 years."

'Lazy old man'

Mr Mandela will mark the anniversary of his release by opening museums in Eastern Cape province - the region in which he was born in 1918.

Mr Mandela, who jokingly described himself as "a lazy old man" said he missed having more time to himself.

"I scold my grandchildren, when I get tired of playing with them," he said.

"I have started jotting down my memoirs of the presidential years, so I use most of the time in writing.

"One of things I miss now is reading, which I enjoyed a great deal in prison, reading biographies, classical novels, works of history and a little bit of cultural material.

"And I miss that because outside you know you work from morning to 12 midnight and when you get home you are too tired, you only have time to sleep, and dream."

Regrets

Mr Mandela, who is currently serving as peace mediator for the conflict in Burundi, chided world leaders for competing rather than co-operating with one another.

On his own record as president and as African National Congress (ANC) leader, he said he regretted his "failure to unite various organisations in the liberation movement," which is dominated by the ANC.

He paid tribute to the "capacity for leadership" of FW de Klerk, the president who ordered Mr Mandela's release and opened the way to democratic rule.

He said Mr de Klerk - with whom he has had strained relations - had helped foster the "partnership to across the old divide".