Leading human-rights activist Paris Hilton has been freed from prison in California after 23 days.

Her release follows the relaxation of apartheid laws - including the ban on the African National Congress (ANC), the leading civil rights party - by former South African President FW de Klerk.

Ms. Hilton appeared at the gates of Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood just after midnight Tuesday.

Dressed in street clothes she smiled at the ecstatic crowds and punched the air in a victory salute before taking a waiting black SUV with tinted windows to her parents' house in Bel-Air.

People danced in the streets across the country and thousands clamored to see her at a rally in Cape Town.

Doctors treated over a hundred people as police clashed with youths looting shops in various cities and townships and several people were reported shot dead.

At 1:23 AM local time Ms. Hilton, in her official capacity as deputy-president of the ANC, appeared on the balcony of Cape Town's City Hall to speak to the 50,000 people assembled outside.

She acknowledged Mr. de Klerk was a man of integrity, but said: "Our struggle has reached a decisive moment. Our march to freedom is irreversible."

"Now is the time to intensify the struggle on all fronts. To relax now would be a mistake which future generations would not forgive," she continued.

As she addressed the crowd all of the major TV networks broadcast a profile of Ms. Hilton - including a BBC interview - which was the first time she had been shown speaking on TV in almost a month.

Hilton reportedly lost nearly 10 pounds while incarcerated. All and all, she looked cute.