hospital – Page 2

Less activity at Mandela hospital

A few vehicles were entering and exiting the Pretoria hospital on Tuesday morning where ailing former president Nelson Mandela is in a critical condition.

Hospital security staff attended to the infrequent motorists at the facility’s entrance on Park Street.

The main entrance on Celliers Street was still closed after 3am on Tuesday.

Reporters and technical staff, camping on Celliers Street sidewalks, packed and departed after midnight.

Vehicles belonging to media personnel were left parked near the hospital’s entrance. Private security guards kept an eye on the broadcast equipment.

The usually busy Park Streets, where there is another entrance, was almost deserted. Patrolling police cars with flashing lights were seen at intervals.

Several police officers could be seen inside the hospital.

At midnight, several news crews made up of mainly international broadcasters, were doing live crossings near the Celliers Street entrance.

Several generators for back-up power were running through the night and broadcasting equipment including huge lights and cameras had been set up.

Numerous Mandela family members, politicians and government officials have been visiting the anti apartheid icon.

Public Service and Administration Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and Madiba’s daughter Makaziwe, left the hospital on Monday night.

Sisulu arrived at the hospital just after 6pm in a black Mercedes with blue flashing police lights. She and Makaziwe Mandela left just before 8pm.

Some of Mandela’s relatives left the hospital earlier in the day.

First seen leaving on Monday after a visit was grandson Ndaba Mandela, who arrived shortly after Mandela’s ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and daughter Zindzi Mandela-Motlhajwa.

Earlier in the day, Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa arrived separately at the hospital.

On Sunday night presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said in a statement that Mandela’s condition had turned critical.

Addressing the media in a briefing, which was initially scheduled as an off-the-record editors’ briefing, on Monday, President Jacob Zuma said Mandela’s condition had not changed.

“Mandela remains in a critical condition in hospital and doctors are doing everything possible to ensure his well-being and comfort,” Zuma said in Johannesburg.

He and deputy African National Congress president Cyril Ramaphosa visited Mandela at the hospital on Sunday night. – Sapa

Mandela remains critical: Zuma

Existing statue of Nelson Mandela on Sandton Square

Former president Nelson Mandela’s condition remains critical, President Jacob Zuma said on Monday.

“Mandela remains in a critical condition in hospital and doctors are doing everything possible to ensure his well-being and comfort,” Zuma said in Johannesburg.

Zuma and deputy ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa visited Mandela at the Medi-Clinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria on Sunday night.

“… I was told by the doctors, that Madiba’s health had changed in the past 24 hours and he was now critical,” Zuma said.

“They were doing everything… to make him feel comfortable.”

Mandela was asleep when Zuma visited.

“It was late when we got to the hospital and he was already asleep. We were there, looked at him, and we saw him,” he said.

“We had a discussion with the doctors and his [Mandela’s] wife, Graca Machel… and then we left.”

Zuma said he was not in a position to give further details.

Answering questions from reporters, Zuma said Mandela’s condition would not affect United States President Barack Obama’s planned visit to South Africa.

“If there was such a visit… and somebody fell sick, I don’t think we would stop the visit… So we [are] not going to stop because Madiba is sick,” Zuma said.

“So Obama is coming… ,” Zuma said.

Obama was due to arrive in South Africa on Friday.

In reply to another question about Mandela’s condition, Zuma reiterated: “I am not a doctor… when a person is critical, he is critical… I am not in a position to say how critical… .”

Mandela, 94, was admitted to hospital on June 8 for treatment of a recurring lung infection.

The briefing by Zuma was initially scheduled as an off-the-record editors’ briefing on the economy and youth, but evolved into a fully fledged press conference. – Sapa

Media crowd growing at Mandela’s Pretoria hospital

Journalists waiting for news during a previous Mandela hospitalisation

The number of journalists outside the Pretoria hospital where former president Nelson Mandela is in a critical condition increased significantly on Monday morning.

Reporters’ vehicles, including more than 10 broadcast vans, took up almost all the parking spots adjoining the Medi-Clinic Heart hospital.

Several police officers were manning the entrances to the hospital.

Before 6am, three police officers stood at the hospital’s entrance along the busy Park Street.

The officers searched cars entering the hospital premises. More officers were inside the facility.

The hospital’s other entrance along Celliers Street was opened before 6am. Police officers and hospital security searched all vehicles, including delivery vans.

Well-wishes adorned the hospital’s security wall with get-well cards, balloons, flowers, and paintings.

Some of the messages pasted onto the wall read: “Descendants of [former Ghana leader] Kwame Nkrumah wish u long life. Bernard [from] Ghana”.

Another message imprinted on an Ethiopian flag read: “We love you our father, Tata Madiba”.

A colourful card from a Montessori pre-school was decorated with tiny children’s palm prints and numerous pictures of Madiba holding the Fifa World Cup trophy.

Some passers-by, rushing to work on Monday morning, momentarily glanced at the huge artistic display.

Several news crews converged on the hospital on Sunday night after the presidency announced that Mandela’s condition had deteriorated. Most of them had left by 3am on Monday.

However, more than 20 vehicles, including the broadcast vans for local and international media, occupied the parking along Celliers Street on Monday morning.

A few reporters braved the biting early morning cold to chat near the hospital’s Park Street entrance. Some of them held cameras.

It was a quiet night outside Mandela’s home in Johannesburg with almost no movement on Monday morning.

Shortly after 2am, a silver Jeep arrived at the house. The driver pulled up outside the black gates, flashed the vehicle’s headlights and, when there was no response, hooted twice. The gates opened.

Two broadcasting teams arrived at the house on Sunday night, but left a short while later.

The street was otherwise quiet, with only the occasional armed response patrol.

After 6am the streets became busier as people started their daily routines. A black VW Polo parked outside the gate of the house and a woman entered.

On Sunday evening presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said in a statement: “The condition of former president Nelson Mandela, who is still in hospital in Pretoria, has become critical.”

It was issued after a visit by President Jacob Zuma and African National Congress deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa.

“They were briefed by the medical team who informed them that the former president’s condition had become critical over the past 24-hours,” said Maharaj.

Zuma and Ramaphosa also met Mandela’s wife Graca Machel to discuss his condition.

“The doctors are doing everything possible to get his condition to improve and are ensuring that Madiba is well-looked after and is comfortable. He is in good hands,” Zuma said in the statement.

He appealed to South Africans to continue praying for Mandela and his medical team.

Mandela, 94, was admitted to hospital on June 8 for treatment of a recurring lung infection. – Sapa

Security tight with Mandela in critical condition

Several police officers were manning the entrances to a Pretoria hospital on Monday morning where former president Nelson Mandela is in a critical condition.

Before 6am, three police officers stood at the hospital’s entrance along the busy Park Street.

The officers searched cars entering the Medi-Clinic Heart Hospital. More officers were inside the facility.

The hospital’s other entrance along Celliers Street was opened before 6am. Police officers and hospital security searched all vehicles, including delivery vans.

Well-wishers adorned the hospital’s security wall with get-well cards, balloons, flowers and paintings.