Mandela makes his last State of the Nation address during the opening of the South African Parliament in Cape Town RELATED VIDEO CNN's Cynde Strand reports on Mandela's assessment of South African affairs Windows Media 28K 80K

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (CNN) -- In his last state of the nation address before retiring, South African President Nelson Mandela on Friday set a timetable for the nation's second all-race elections.

Mandela's announcement was his most specific statement yet on the timing of the vote. A final date will be announced once Parliament works out the constitutional details.

"I am, however, able to give the indication, after extensive consultations, that we aim to select a day for our second national election in the period between the 18th and 27th of May," Mandela said.

May begins the constitutionally mandated 90-day window for elections.

To ensure a higher turnout, officials are anxious for the vote to take place before the southern hemisphere winter sets in. Political parties have been pressing the government to set an election date so the campaigning can begin in earnest.

Deputy President Thabo Mbeki is widely expected to succeed Mandela.

Mandela's speech marked the formal opening of the legislative season.

He also lauded the achievements of his African National Congress party government in bringing basic services to millions of poor blacks ignored under South Africa's former apartheid laws.

Water and electrical services expanded

During the five years since the nation's first all-race elections, the government has brought clean water to 3 million people, Mandela said. More than 2 million people have been connected to electrical services, he added.

But Mandela warned that racial tensions are still tearing the nation apart and souring its image abroad.

"This must come to an end. For, indeed, those who thrive on hatred destroy their own capacity to make a positive contribution," he said.

Mandela vowed to continue fighting crime, and said that murder rates had dropped 10 percent since 1994.

He also vowed to bring to justice those responsible for a recent wave of bombings against police in Cape Town.

Officials believe an Islamic vigilante group, People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (PAGAD), is responsible for the bombings.

Mandela did not mention PAGAD, but the group was implied in his message.

"This campaign is rotten to the core. It is misguided and its attempts to invoke religion is blasphemous," he said.

Mandela's comments on crime came after Canada's top diplomat in South Africa was mugged in his Cape Town hotel room. High Commissioner James Bartleman was in town to attend Mandela's speech, but was confined to a hospital after the attack.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

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