People hold portraits of Nelson Mandela as South Africans stand in line to pay their respect to South African former president Nelson Mandela laying in state at the Union Buildings on December 12, 2013 in Pretoria. South Africans will get a second chance Thursday to pay their last respects to Nelson Mandela, a day after his distraught widow joined thousands of mourners at his open coffin. Mandela, the revered icon of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and one of the towering political figures of the 20th century, died in Johannesburg on December 5 at age 95. AFP PHOTO / STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN (Photo credit should read STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP/Getty Images) (Photo: )
The South African government said Thursday it would not release photographs of Nelson Mandela lying in state, and urged people to shun a purported image of the dead president posted on the Internet.
While tens of thousands queued to file past the democracy icon's open coffin in Pretoria, social media was buzzing with condemnation of an apparent sneaked photo of the president's face that had been posted online.
"Government is aware of social media activity on the existence or otherwise of a picture of President Mandela lying in state," said an official statement.
It welcomed social media users' widespread condemnation of the act.
"If this content exists, government calls on people not to view it and to delete it from their timelines."
Neither the authenticity nor the origin of the picture could be verified.
It was a grainy, green-tinted close-up of a face resembling Mandela's image, its eyes screwed tightly shut.
Mandela's family had expressly wished that no photographs of the body be released, and people queuing to view the open-top casket were not allowed to bring cameras and were requested to turn off their mobile phones.
"With regard to mourners filing past the casket, government repeats the caution that no photography is allowed," Thursday's statement said.
Twitter users largely denounced the spread of the image, calling it "shameful" and "totally disrespectful."
Copyright (2013) AFP. All rights reserved.
A girl covers her face with a flag bearing the image of Nelson Mandela outside of the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, near Johannesburg, South Africa, Tuesday Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
People draped in flags bearing the image of Nelson Mandela arrive for the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, near Johannesburg, South Africa, Tuesday Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
South African President Jacob Zuma, right, hugs Retired Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto near Johannesburg, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, right, greets, Former Colombian President Andrés Pastrana before the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto near Johannesburg, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Graca Machel, Nelson Mandela's former, kisses Retired Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto near Johannesburg, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) CORRECTION: An earlier version of this caption misidentified Graca Machel as Winnie Mandela.
South African President Jacob Zuma reads his speech during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto near Johannesburg, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, second left, Nelson Mandela's former wife, and Mandela's window Graca Machel, right, listen to speeches during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto near Johannesburg, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
President Barack Obama waves as he arrives to speak to crowds attending the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto near Johannesburg, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
A mourner sleeps during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto near Johannesburg, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
People sing songs during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto near Johannesburg, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
People shout out and hold posters during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, near Johannesburg, South Africa, Tuesday Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Spectators shelter under umbrellas as the rain lashes down during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, near Johannesburg, South Africa, Tuesday Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
A sea of umbrellas in the arena as rain lashes down during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, near Johannesburg, South Africa, Tuesday Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
People watch as President Barack Obama speaks to crowds attending the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto near Johannesburg, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
A boy with "Rest In Peace Nelson Mandela" painted on his face looks up at the podium during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, near Johannesburg, South Africa, Tuesday Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
An image of President Barrack Obama is flashed on a screen as he makes his speech during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, near Johannesburg, South Africa, Tuesday Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
Cuba's President Raul Castro Ruz speaks during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto near Johannesburg, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Chinas Vice President Li Yuanchao speaks during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto near Johannesburg, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
An image of President Barrack Obama is flashed on a screen as he makes his speech during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, near Johannesburg, South Africa, Tuesday Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
An image of President Barrack Obama is flashed on a screen as he makes his speech during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, near Johannesburg, South Africa, Tuesday Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
President Barrack Obama kisses Nelson Mandela's widow Graca Machel during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto near Johannesburg, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
President Barrack Obama speaks to mourners attending the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto near Johannesburg, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
A portrait of Nelson Mandela is seen through a sea of umbrellas during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, near Johannesburg, South Africa, Tuesday Dec. 10, 2013.(AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
A man holds the official programme ahead of the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in the Johannesburg, South Africa township of Soweto, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
Faces of Nelson Mandela through the ages are shown on a big screen during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, near Johannesburg, South Africa, Tuesday Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
A man sells portraits of Nelson Mandela outside of the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, near Johannesburg, South Africa, Tuesday Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
A general view of the arena during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, near Johannesburg, South Africa, Tuesday Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
VIP's and dignitaries stand up for the start of the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, near Johannesburg, South Africa, Tuesday Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
Images of Nelson Mandela though the years are flashed upon a screen during the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, near Johannesburg, South Africa, Tuesday Dec. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
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