Journalists who crowded around Mandela’s home in Houghton on Sunday remained anxious, waiting for news on the former statesman’s health.
Mandela was admitted to a Pretoria hospital at about 1.30am on Saturday morning. Mandela suffers from a recurring lung infection.
The last update on the former statesman’s health was issued by the presidency on Saturday morning.
Presidency spokesperson Mac Maharaj said Mandela was in a serious but stable condition in a Pretoria hospital. He said Mandela was receiving the best care possible and that the media was asked to respect the Mandela family’s privacy.
In an interview with eNCA, Maharaj said he was pleased at the way Mandela’s latest hospital stay was being handled by the public across the world. Maharaj said the world had expressed “concern” and that people were understandably anxious about Mandela’s health, but that “false stories” were not being spread.
“They are coming to terms with reality,” Maharaj said. He did not respond to further questions on Saturday evening.
He added that while Mandela had been a long-time sufferer of lung disease, his age would affect his recovery. Mandela will celebrate his 95th birthday on July 18 this year.
Meanwhile, family members have reportedly visited Mandela at a hospital. His daughter, Makaziwe Mandela, was seen leaving the hospital in Pretoria on Saturday afternoon.
His wife, Graca Machel, remains at his bedside.
Machel had been scheduled to speak at the “Nutrition for Growth: Beating Hunger through Business and Science” summit in London on Saturday.
She cancelled her attendance on Thursday, Maharaj said.
Maharaj said on Saturday doctors were doing everything they could to make Mandela “better and comfortable”.
“What I am told by doctors is that he is breathing on his own and I think that is a positive sign,” he said. “Madiba is a fighter and at his age, as long as he is fighting he will be fine,” Maharaj said. – M&G