The South African singer Miriam Makeba, who was also known as Mama Africa, has died in Italy aged 76.

Her publicist said Makeba died of a heart attack shortly after performing at an event near the town of Caserta.

The publicist said: "I'm not yet absolutely certain of the causes of her passing, but she has had arthritis, severe arthritis, for some time."

Italian news agency ANSA said Makeba died in the Pineta Grande clinic where she was taken after falling ill following her performance at an anti-racism and anti-organised crime concert at Castel Volturno, near Caserta.

The concert was in support of writer Roberto Saviano, who wrote Gomorra, a book about organised crime in southern Italy.

Makeba was born on March 4, 1932, in a shantytown outside Johannesburg. She was the first black South African singer to gain international fame and was also hailed as an anti-apartheid icon.

Makeba may be best remembered for the distinctive clicking sounds which punctuate songs in her native Xhosa language.

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