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Nelson Mandela is being kept alive by a breathing machine and faces “impending death”, a South African court documents reveal.
Nelson Mandela’s health is “perilous”, according to documents filed in the court case that resulted in the remains of his three deceased children being reburied Thursday in their original graves.
Court documents from June 26 said: “The anticipation of his impending death is based on real and substantial grounds.”
Nelson Mandela, who was hospitalized on June 8, remains in critical but stable condition, according to the office of President Jacob Zuma, who visited the anti-apartheid leader on Thursday.
The South African presidency has denied that Nelson Mandela is in a “vegetative state”, and reiterated former statements that the beloved former leader is in a critical, but stable condition.
The Presidency released a statement “clarifying” Nelson Mandela’s condition, Sky News reported.
They said: “We confirm our earlier statement released … after President Jacob Zuma visited Madiba in hospital.”
Nelson Mandela is under around-the-clock care of a team of nurses, the presidency said, hours after the sensational court reports were revealed.
The documents read: “They say the condition of the country’s first black president is <<perilous>>.”
“The anticipation of his impending death is based on real and substantial grounds,” they add.
Nelson Mandela is being kept alive by a breathing machine and faces impending death
The legal papers relate to a bitter legal battle between rival family factions over where Nelson Mandela should be buried.
After examining him last week, the doctors wrote: “He is in a permanent vegetative state and is assisted in breathing by a life support machine.”
Medically, this means he is unresponsive and in a state between coma and death.
“He’s basically gone,” said Charlene Smith, Nelson Mandela’s authorized biographer.
The statements come as the remains of the 94-year-old’s three deceased children were reburied at their original resting site following a court order to return them after Mandla Mandela moved the bodies.
It comes as the feud between Nelson Mandela’s family descended into soap opera farce today when his grandson and heir Mandla accused relatives of adultery and milking the fame of the revered anti-apartheid leader.
In a news conference broadcast live on TV that stunned South Africans, Mandla Mandela confirmed rumors that his young son, Zanethemba, was in fact the child of an illicit liaison between his brother Mbuso and Mandla’s now ex-wife Anais Grimaud.
With Nelson Mandela on life-support in a Pretoria hospital, the escalating feud has transfixed and appalled South Africa in equal measure.
“Mbuso impregnated my wife,” Mandla Mandela said in Mvezo, the Eastern Cape village 450 miles)south of Johannesburg where Nelson Mandela was born and where Mandla serves as the formal chief of the clan.
Mandla Mandela, 39, first raised questions about his son’s paternity last year when he split from French-speaking Anais Grimaud, who has since moved back home to the Indian Ocean island of Reunion. He also revealed then that he was unable to have children.
His attempts to get the family to address the questions of Zanethemba’s paternity had been rebuffed in the interests of preserving a semblance of unity in South Africa’s most famous family, Mandla Mandela said.
“This matter has never been discussed by the so-called members of the family who say that they want to ensure there is harmony in this family,” he said, challenging reporters to conduct DNA tests to confirm his allegations.
“The facts are there. You may go and find out, do the necessary tests that are needed,” he said. His brother Mbuso has denied being the father of the child.
Newspapers have plastered “Mandela vs. Mandela” headlines across their front pages and editorials have bemoaned the cruel irony of bitter divisions inside the family of a man lauded the world over as the epitome of reconciliation between races.
The government said that Nelson Mandela remained “critical but stable” after nearly four weeks in hospital.
The sleepy community of Mvezo, set amid the rolling hills of the Eastern Cape, has been at the centre of a vicious dispute that may ultimately determine where South Africa’s first black president will be laid to rest.
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Members of Nelson Mandela’s family have laid a criminal complaint against former South African president’s grandson Mandla Mandela.
According to police spokesman Mzukisi Fatyela, officers would investigate allegations of illegal grave tampering.
A public prosecutor would then decide whether to press charges, he said.
Members of Nelson Mandela’s family have laid a criminal complaint against his grandson Mandla Mandela for illegal grave tampering
It involves the bodies of three of Nelson Mandela’s children, who were allegedly moved from a family graveyard about two years ago by Mandla Mandela.
In a separate case, 16 Mandela family members are seeking to move the bodies back to the graveyard in the village of Qunu, where Nelson Mandela, who is critically ill in hospital with a recurring lung infection, wants to be laid to rest.
The case is being heard at the Mthatha High Court in Eastern Province and has been postponed until Wednesday.
Last week, the court granted an interim order for the remains to be exhumed and moved from Mandla Mandela’s homestead in the village of Mvezo to nearby Qunu, 14 miles away.
Mandla Mandela, who was appointed as chief of Mvezo by his grandfather, is now contesting that order.
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President Barack Obama has toured South Africa’s Robben Island – the jail in which Nelson Mandela was kept for 18 years.
Barack Obama said he and his family were “deeply humbled” to visit the prison once inhabited by Nelson Mandela – who remains critically ill in hospital.
The US president went on to give a speech at the University of Cape Town and launch a multi-billion-dollar electricity initiative.
Barack Obama did not visit Nelson Mandela, but met the Mandela family in private.
Security is likely to have been strengthened during this final Cape Town leg of his time in South Africa following clashes on Saturday between riot police and anti-Obama protesters in Soweto.
Barack Obama and the first family visited Nelson Mandela’s bleak cell as well as the lime quarry – overlooked by a concrete watchtower – where anti-apartheid fighters including Mandela were forced to undertake hours of back-breaking labor.
Nelson Mandela was at the prison for 18 years and his long history of lung problems can be traced to the tuberculosis he contracted there – which he attributed to the dampness of his cell.
President Barack Obama has toured South Africa’s Robben Island, the jail in which Nelson Mandela was kept for 18 years
Later, Barack Obama wrote in the guest book in the prison courtyard: “On behalf of our family, we’re deeply humbled to stand where men of such courage faced down injustice and refused to yield.
“The world is grateful for the heroes of Robben Island, who remind us that no shackles or cells can match the strength of the human spirit.”
Barack Obama also visited a community project before delivering a keynote address at the University of Cape Town.
It was the same venue where 47 years ago, US Senator Robert Kennedy gave his famed “ripple of hope” speech, which gave inspiration to those fighting the racially divisive policies of apartheid rule and linked their struggle with that of the US civil rights movement.
Barack Obama paid tribute to South Africa’s achievements over the past two decades but urged young Africans to fulfill Nelson Mandela’s legacy.
“Nelson Mandela showed us that one man’s courage can move the world,” he said.
More needed to be done to tackle poverty and disease, he said, adding that fear too often prevailed in Africa. For as long as war raged, democracy and economic opportunity could not take hold, he said.
Barack Obama also announced a $7 billion five-year initiative to double access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa, in partnership with African countries and the private sector.
He arrived in South Africa from Senegal on Friday evening. On Monday, he will continue his African tour in Tanzania.
Nelson Mandela’s family heir, Mandla, has said he will oppose a court action brought by the rest of the family, seeking to exhume the bodies of his father, Makgatho, two of Mandela’s daughters and two other relatives.
The rest of the family want the remains to be reburied in Qunu, where the former South African president wants to be laid to rest, while Mandla, an ANC MP, wants them to stay in the nearby village of Mvezo, Nelson Mandela’s birthplace, where he is building a museum dedicated to his grandfather.
South Africa’s Sunday Times newspaper quotes local chiefs in the area as saying that Madiba, as Nelson Mandela is known in the country, will not be at peace until this issue is resolved.
On Friday, a court granted an interim action saying the bodies could be exhumed and reburied but Mandla Mandela says he was not aware of the case until it was reported in the media and he is now opposing it.
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President Barack Obama has praised Nelson Mandela as “an inspiration to the world”, during his visit to South Africa.
Barack Obama was speaking in the executive capital, Pretoria, after talks with President Jacob Zuma.
Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president, has been critically ill for nearly a week.
Earlier, Barack Obama said he would not visit the 94-year-old in hospital, but would meet his family in private.
The White House said the decision had been made “out of deference to Nelson Mandela’s peace and comfort and the family’s wishes”, but that Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama would offer the Mandela family “their thoughts and prayers at this difficult time”.
President Jacob Zuma said the former leader remained “stable but critical”, but said he had “every hope that he will be out of hospital soon”.
In Pretoria, Barack Obama said Nelson Mandela’s example of “the power of principle, of people standing up for what’s right continues to shine as a beacon”.
“The outpouring of love that we’ve seen in recent days shows that the triumph of Nelson Mandela and his nation speaks to something very deep in the human spirit; the yearning for justice and dignity that transcends boundaries of race and class and faith and country,” he said.
Barack Obama was speaking in the executive capital, Pretoria, after talks with President Jacob Zuma
Jacob Zuma said that as the first black leaders of their respective countries, Barack Obama and Nelson Mandela were “bound by history” and so “carry the dreams of millions of people in Africa and in the diaspora who were previously oppressed”.
The two leaders addressed a wide range of issues in their conversations, including trade and industry, conflicts in the region, efforts to tackle HIV/Aids and foreign affairs.
Jacob Zuma said Barack Obama’s visit was “well timed” to take advantage of a growing market in South Africa, and called for greater US investment.
He also said he believed the Africa National Congress (ANC), which he leads and which was founded by Nelson Mandela, was still “moving in the footsteps” of the former leader.
“I have no doubt that what we have been doing is part of what Mandela would be doing if he was here,” he said.
When asked whether the US felt threatened by the increasing influence of other countries, particularly China, in Africa, Barack Obama said he believed it was a good thing for the development of the continent, but cautioned South Africa to ensure that foreign companies were employing local workers and investing back into the country.
Barack Obama, who is travelling with his family, arrived in South Africa from Senegal on Friday evening.
During his weekend trip, the US president will visit Robben Island off Cape Town, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years. On Monday, he will continue his African tour in Tanzania.
Nelson Mandela is revered for leading the fight against white minority rule in South Africa and then preaching reconciliation despite being imprisoned for 27 years.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 and was elected president the following year. He left office in 1999 after a single term.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has rarely been seen at official events since.
He has a long history of lung problems, and was diagnosed with tuberculosis in the 1980s while he was a prisoner on Robben Island.
After his release, Nelson Mandela said that the tuberculosis was probably caused by dampness in his prison cell.
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President Barack Obama has landed in South Africa, the second stop in his three-country tour of Africa, amid vigils for Nelson Mandela.
Barack Obama said earlier he did not expect to see former President Nelson Mandela, who is critically ill in hospital.
Leaving Senegal, Barack Obama told reporters on board Air Force One: “I don’t need a photo op.”
Meanwhile, Nelson Mandela’s ex-wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela said the former leader had made “a great improvement” in recent days, but was “still unwell”.
Correspondents say security is tight in the streets near Mediclinic Heart Hospital in the capital, Pretoria, where the 94-year old is being treated for a lung infection.
Ministers, politicians, Nelson Mandela’s physician and family members were among those visiting the ex-leader on Friday, his 21st day in hospital.
Barack Obama’s plane landed at a military airbase near Pretoria on Friday evening. He has meetings scheduled in the capital on Saturday morning.
But Barack Obama said earlier he did not expect to see the ailing ex-leader during his visit to South Africa.
“I don’t need a photo op,” the president said aboard Air Force One after leaving Senegal.
President Barack Obama has landed in South Africa amid vigils for Nelson Mandela
“The last thing I want to do is to be in any way obtrusive at a time when the family is concerned with Nelson Mandela’s condition.”
He went on to say: “I think the main message we’ll want to deliver is not directly to him, but to his family – is simply profound gratitude for his leadership all these years, and that the thoughts and prayers of the American people are with him, his family and his country.”
Barack Obama met Nelson Mandela in 2005 when he was still a US senator. Both men became the first black presidents of their nations and have received the Nobel Peace Prize.
The US president has described Nelson Mandela as a “hero for the world”, whose “legacy will linger on through the ages”, and who had inspired his own activism as a student.
Earlier on Friday, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela told reporters outside Nelson Mandela’s former home in Soweto: “I’m not a doctor but I can say that from what he was a few days ago there is great improvement, but clinically he is still unwell.”
She also thanked domestic and international media for their coverage, but added that some of the reports had caused the family distress.
“We had no idea of the love for us out there,” she said.
“There may be problems here and there when some of you get carried away and talk about our father in the past tense,” she said.
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela added: “If sometimes we sound bitter, it is because we are dealing with a difficult situation.”
Earlier this week, Nelson Mandela’s eldest daughter criticized the international media camped outside the Mediclinic Heart Hospital, calling them “vultures”.
People in South Africa are anxious about Nelson Mandela’s health but also want to express their pride in the man many consider the father of the nation.
South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) said it would hold vigils each day that the former leader remained in hospital, and the distinctive black, green and gold colors of the party are much in evidence.
But the party denied it was exploiting the occasion to canvas for votes ahead of next year’s elections.
“We love our ANC regalia and we have every right to wish Madiba well,” party spokesman Jackson Mthembu said.
Meanwhile, a court in the Eastern Cape has granted an application brought by the Mandela family to exhume three of his children and two other relatives and rebury them in the family cemetery in Qunu, which is where the former leader wants to be buried, their lawyers say.
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President Barack Obama has arrived in Senegal on the first leg of a three-nation tour of Africa.
This is Barack Obama’s second visit to the African continent since he became president.
President Barack Obama has arrived in Senegal on the first leg of a three-nation tour of Africa
Barack Obama is hoping to boost economic ties with the African countries and promote good governance – all the countries he is visiting have stable democracies.
The South African leg of his trip is expected to be overshadowed by the continuing critical condition of former President Nelson Mandela.
The White House has said it will defer to the wishes of Nelson Mandela’s family over whether the former South African president is well enough to receive a visit from him in hospital.
Barack Obama, who arrived in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, on Wednesday night with his family, is due to meet the country’s President Macky Sall later on Thursday.
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South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has cancelled a trip to Mozambique on Thursday after visiting former leader Nelson Mandela, 94, who remains critically ill in a Pretoria hospital.
Jacob Zuma’s spokesman Mac Maharaj said his condition had deteriorated “in the past 48 hours”.
South Africa’s first black president has been in hospital since June 8 with a recurring lung infection.
Doctors were doing everything to ensure his well-being, a statement said.
Emotional crowds continue to gather outside the hospital, adding messages of support for Nelson Mandela.
Correspondents say South Africans now seem resigned to the prospect of his death.
“We are all going to feel bad when he passes [away], but at the same time we will be celebrating his life. He has done so many great things for this country,” said 25-year-old John Ndlovu, quoted by Reuters news agency.
South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has cancelled a trip to Mozambique on Thursday after visiting former leader Nelson Mandela
Jacob Zuma was due to attend a regional summit in the Mozambican capital Maputo on Thursday, but decided to cancel his trip.
The statement from his office said he “reiterated his gratitude on behalf of government, to all South Africans who continue to support the Madiba family”.
President Jacob Zuma’s decision to cancel the visit to Mozambique where he was to attend a regional infrastructure investment conference will only reinforce the impression that Nelson Mandela’s life is slipping away.
But later Jacob Zuma’s office warned against speculation about Nelson Mandela’s health, saying that announcements about his condition would come from the president himself or Mac Maharaj.
Mac Maharaj criticized some media outlets for broadcasting unverified information, as rumors spread on social media sites.
Nelson Mandela, known by his clan name Madiba, is revered for leading the fight against white minority rule in South Africa and then preaching reconciliation despite being imprisoned for 27 years.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 and was elected president the following year. He left office in 1999 after a single term.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has rarely been seen at official events since.
He has a long history of lung problems, and was diagnosed with tuberculosis in the 1980s while he was a prisoner on Robben Island.
After his release, Nelson Mandela said that the tuberculosis was probably caused by dampness in his prison cell.
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Leading South African cleric Archbishop Thabo Makgoba has prayed for ex-President Nelson Mandela’s “peaceful end” as he remains in a critical condition in hospital.
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba visited Nelson Mandela, 94, in hospital in Pretoria, praying with his wife Graca Machel.
Elders from Nelson Mandela’s Tembu clan are due to visit him on Wednesday, local media say.
Nelson Mandela’s condition became critical on Sunday, following his admission on June 8 with a recurring lung infection.
The scene at the hospital, where well-wishers have decorated a wall with flowers and supportive messages, is described as quiet, save for waiting journalists.
It is Nelson Mandela’s third stay in hospital this year with lung problems.
Nelson Mandela, known by his clan name Madiba, is revered for leading the fight against white minority rule in South Africa and then preaching reconciliation despite being imprisoned for 27 years. He left power after five years as the country’s first black president.
Cape Town Archbishop Thabo Makgoba’s prayer, delivered during a visit to the private hospital late on Tuesday, seemed to echo the growing feeling in South Africa that Nelson Mandela is reaching the end of his life, correspondents say.
“May [we] be filled with gratitude for all the good that he has done for us and for our nation, and may [we] honor his legacy through our lives…” reads the prayer, which was posted on Archbishop Thabo Makgoba’s Facebook page.
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba has prayed for Nelson Mandela’s “peaceful end” as he remains in a critical condition in hospital
“Grant Madiba eternal healing and relief from pain and suffering. Grant him, we pray, a quiet night and a peaceful, perfect, end.”
Meanwhile, a friend of Nelson Mandela and the leader of the opposition United Democratic Movement (UDM) party, Bantu Holomisa, denied that a row had broken out in the ex-president’s family over funeral arrangements.
Bantu Holomisa, along with Nelson Mandela’s children, grandchildren, traditional leaders and government ministers, met on Tuesday in Qunu, the village where Mandela grew up and spent of his time after he stepped down as president in 1999, South Africa’s Star newspaper reports.
“The purpose of the meeting was to brief the elders about Mandela’s condition…. One does not want to leave the elders behind,” Bantu Holomisa told the local Mail and Guardian newspaper.
The Star reports that it has learned from three sources that Nelson Mandela’s grandson and his traditional heir, Mandla, wants the former president to be buried in the nearby village of Mvezo where he was born.
However, other family members want the burial to take place in Qunu and they also want the bodies of three of Nelson Mandela’s children, including his eldest son, Makgatho, who died of an AIDS-related illness in 2005, to be exhumed from Mvezo and moved back to Qunu, the paper reports.
According to South Africa’s Times newspaper, clan elders are due to travel to Pretoria on Wednesday to visit Nelson Mandela.
The former South African president has children from his two previous wives, Evelyn Mase and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, both of whom he divorced.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has rarely been seen at official events since.
He has a long history of lung problems, and was diagnosed with tuberculosis in the 1980s while he was a prisoner on Robben Island.
After his release, Nelson Mandela said that the tuberculosis was probably caused by dampness in his prison cell.
Former President Nelson Mandela’s medical condition remains unchanged, the South African government has announced.
Nelson Mandela, 94, has been in a Pretoria hospital since June 8 being treated for a recurring lung infection, and his condition became critical on Sunday.
“Doctors continue to do their best to ensure his recovery, well-being and comfort,” the latest update said.
The statement came as Nelson Mandela’s family members were meeting at his home in the village of Qunu.
His eldest daughter, Makaziwe, and some grandchildren were said to be at the meeting in Eastern Cape province.
Little has emerged from the family meeting, which South African media say was called to discuss “sensitive family business”.
Nelson Mandela, 94, has been in a Pretoria hospital since June 8 being treated for a recurring lung infection, and his condition became critical on Sunday
In the latest statement President Jacob Zuma thanked the South African public for “ongoing support and understanding”.
His spokesman said on Monday that South Africans should not hold out “false hopes”.
Mandela family members, including grandchildren, have continued to visit him in hospital, where dozens of white doves were released by a local businessman in tribute.
The scene at the hospital, where well-wishers have decorated a wall with flowers and supportive messages, is described as quiet, save for waiting journalists.
It is Nelson Mandela’s third stay in hospital this year with lung problems which are thought to date from damage sustained while working in a prison quarry.
He contracted tuberculosis in the 1980s while being held in jail on the windy Robben Island.
Nelson Mandela is revered for leading the fight against white minority rule in South Africa and then preaching reconciliation despite being imprisoned for 27 years.
He left power after five years as the country’s first black president.
Nelson mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has rarely been seen at official events since.
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Former South African President Nelson Mandela has become critically ill in hospital, President Jacob Zuma has announced.
Jacob Zuma said he had visited Nelson Mandela and spoken to his wife and medical teams.
Doctors were “doing everything possible to get his condition to improve” said Jacob Zuma in a statement.
Nelson Mandela, 94, was taken to hospital in Pretoria earlier this month for the third time this year, with a lung infection.
Jacob Zuma said he had been told by doctors that the former president’s condition had worsened over the past 24 hours.
“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,” said Jacob Zuma, using Nelson Mandela’s clan name by which he is widely known in South Africa.
Jacob Zuma appealed for prayers for Nelson Mandela and his medical team.
Nelson Mandela has become critically ill in hospital
Mac Maharaj, Jacob Zuma’s spokesman, said the doctors’ use of the word “critical” was “sufficient explanation that should raise concern amongst us”.
“Therefore we want to assure the public that the doctors are working away to try and get his condition to improve,” he said.
The release of information relating to Nelson Mandela is always carefully controlled by the government to avoid sparking alarm.
The use of the word “critical” to describe his condition will be seen as very worrying by South Africans, many of whom see him as like a family member.
There has been little information about Nelson Mandela’s condition in recent days. On June 13 Jacob Zuma, who releases all official updates relating to the much-loved leader, said his health continued to improve but that his condition remained serious.
More recently, one of Nelson Mandela’s grandsons, Ndaba Mandela, said his grandfather was getting better and he hoped he would be home soon.
Nelson Mandela’s wife, Graca Machel, thanked all those who had sent messages of support, saying they had brought “love, comfort and hope”.
The former president is revered for leading the fight against white minority rule in South Africa and then preaching reconciliation despite being imprisoned for 27 years. He left power after five years as president.
He is believed to have suffered damage to his lungs while working in a prison quarry.
He contracted tuberculosis in the 1980s while being held in jail on the windswept Robben Island.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has rarely been seen at official events since.
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South Africa’s former President Nelson Mandela is “responding better” to treatment in hospital, President Jacob Zuma has said.
Jacob Zuma told parliament he was happy with the progress being made by Nelson Mandela after a “difficult few days”.
Nelson Mandela, 94, is spending his fifth day in a Pretoria hospital suffering from a recurrent lung infection.
His wife, Graca Machel, his daughter and two granddaughters visited Nelson Mandela on Wednesday.
His family released a statement saying they had “been deeply touched” by the concern shown for Nelson Mandela’s health.
“The family have been heartened by the overwhelming messages of support from the public,” the statement said.
Jacob Zuma noted that Wednesday was the 49th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s being sentenced to life in prison under the apartheid regime.
“Our country is a much better place to live in now than it was before 1994 [when Nelson Mandela was elected], even though we still have so much work to do,” he said.
“We fully understand and appreciate the global interest in this world icon. We are so proud to call him our own,” Jacob Zuma added.
Nelson Mandela is responding better to treatment in hospital
“We urge South Africans and the international community to continue to keep President Mandela and the medical team in their thoughts and prayers,” he went on.
On Tuesday Jacob Zuma had described Nelson Mandela’s condition as “very serious but stabilized”.
Jacob Zuma said the doctors were doing a “very good job”, adding that the former president was a “good fighter”.
His ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and other relatives visited the ailing former leader on Tuesday.
Nelson Mandela has been in intensive care since he was taken to hospital on Saturday for the third time this year.
In December, he spent 18 days undergoing treatment for a lung infection and gallstones.
Before being admitted to hospital, Nelson Mandela had been ill for some days at his Johannesburg home, with a recurrence of his long-standing lung problems, said a statement from the president’s office on Tuesday.
He was taken to hospital when his condition worsened at 01:30 on Saturday.
Widely referred to by his clan name Madiba, Nelson Mandela served as president from 1994 to 1999.
He was previously imprisoned for 27 years, and is believed to have suffered damage to his lungs while working in a prison quarry.
He contracted tuberculosis in the 1980s while being held in jail on the windswept Robben Island.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has been rarely seen at official events since.
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Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president, remains in a serious but stable condition in a Pretoria hospital, the latest update has announced.
The South African presidency said Nelson Mandela’s condition was unchanged and confirmed that he was in intensive care.
Prayers have been said in churches across the country for ex-President Nelson Mandela, who is being treated for a lung infection.
Nelson Mandela, 94, was taken to hospital early on Saturday, the third time this year he has been admitted.
The presidency said he had been ill for some days at his Johannesburg home, with a recurrence of his long-standing lung problems.
Nelson Mandela was admitted to hospital after his condition worsened at 01:30 on Saturday.
The government said in a statement: “President Jacob Zuma reiterates his call for South Africa to pray for Madiba and the family during this time.” Madiba is Nelson Mandela’s clan name.
In releasing the latest update, presidency spokesman Mac Maharaj also denied that visitors were being blocked from seeing Nelson Mandela.
Mac Maharaj said: “The reality is that the normal procedures when a patient is under intensive care are applying from the medical side.
“Therefore there are limitations on visitors and, you know, that when a person is in intensive care the doctors only allow some very close people to be there – it is not the way it is being presented in the media.”
Nelson Mandela remains in a serious but stable condition in a Pretoria hospital
There is a quiet hope that the man who led the fight against apartheid may regain his strength once again.
Many took heart from a visit on Sunday by Nelson Mandela’s daughter, Zindzi, who said that her father was “well” and “a fighter”.
Nelson Mandela’s wife, Graca Machel, cancelled a scheduled appearance in London on Saturday to remain at her husband’s bedside.
He served as president from 1994 to 1999.
Nelson Mandela was previously imprisoned for 27 years, and is believed to have suffered damaged lungs while working in a prison quarry.
He contracted tuberculosis in the 1980s while being held in jail on the windswept Robben Island.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has been rarely seen in public since.
Nelson Mandela: Key dates
- 1918 Born in the Eastern Cape
- 1943 Joins African National Congress
- 1956 Charged with high treason, but charges dropped
- 1962 Arrested, convicted of sabotage, sentenced to five years in prison
- 1964 Charged again, sentenced to life
- 1990 Freed from prison
- 1993 Wins Nobel Peace Prize
- 1994 Elected first black president
- 1999 Steps down as leader
- 2004 Retires from public life
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Former South African President Nelson Mandela has been admitted to hospital with a lung infection.
Nelson Mandela, 94, is in a “serious but stable condition”, a spokesman for the current president, Jacob Zuma, says.
He has been ill for some days but deteriorated overnight and was transferred to a hospital in Pretoria.
Nelson Mandela led the fight against apartheid, became South Africa’s first black president, and is widely regarded as father of the nation.
He has recently suffered a series of health problems and this is his fifth visit to hospital in two years.
In April Nelson Mandela was released from hospital after a 10-day stay caused by pneumonia.
His illness was described on Saturday as a recurrence of a lung infection, which has troubled him repeatedly.
Nelson Mandela was taken to hospital, from his home in a suburb of Johannesburg, at about 01:30 local time.
Mac Maharaj, South Africa’s presidential spokesman, said he was receiving expert medical care.
Former South African President Nelson Mandela has been admitted to hospital with a lung infection
Doctors were doing everything possible to make him comfortable and better, he added.
Mac Maharaj said at least one close member of Nelson Mandela’s family was with him in hospital.
“Naturally the immediate members of the family have access to him and it’s always good for the patient that he has been accompanied by one or other of them, and that has happened,” he said.
“President Jacob Zuma, on behalf of government and the nation, wishes Madiba a speedy recovery and requests the media and the public to respect the privacy of Madiba and his family,” Mac Maharaj said in a statement, using the clan name by which Nelson Mandela is often known.
Nelson Mandela served as president from 1994 to 1999.
He was previously imprisoned for 27 years, and is believed to have suffered damaged lungs while working in a prison quarry.
He contracted tuberculosis in the 1980s while being held in jail on the windswept Robben Island.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has been rarely seen in public since.
There was a row in April when South Africa’s governing African National Congress (ANC) – Nelson Mandela’s party – filmed a visit to see him and broadcast the pictures of him with President Jacob Zuma and other party figures.
Critics called it an invasion of his privacy.
Nelson Mandela awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 jointly with former President FW de Klerk for ending apartheid and bringing democracy to South Africa.
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Former South African President Nelson Mandela has been discharged from Pretoria hospital after treatment for pneumonia, the government has announced.
Nelson Mandela, 94, was admitted on March 27 for a recurring infection of the lungs and had fluid drained from them.
He served as South Africa’s first black president from 1994 to 1999 and is regarded by many as the father of the nation.
Nelson Mandela led the struggle against apartheid (white minority rule) and in 1993 was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Nelson Mandela has been discharged from Pretoria hospital after treatment for pneumonia
The South African presidency statement read: “Former President Nelson Mandela has been discharged from hospital today, 6 April, following a sustained and gradual improvement in his general condition.
“The former president will now receive home-based high care. President [Jacob] Zuma thanks the hard working medical team and hospital staff for looking after Madiba so efficiently.”
Madiba is Nelson Mandela’s clan name.
The statement continued: “[Jacob Zuma] also extended his gratitude to all South Africans and friends of the Republic in Africa and around the world for support.”
Nelson Mandela has returned to his home in the Houghton district of Johannesburg.
Nelson Mandela stepped down as president in 1999 and acted as a high-profile ambassador for the country until he retired from public life in 2004.
His latest stay in hospital was his fourth in two years.
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Churches across South Africa are holding prayers for former President Nelson Mandela, who has been in hospital for four days being treated for pneumonia.
Several hundred people gathered at the Regina Mundi church in Soweto – once a focal point of the struggle against apartheid.
On Saturday, South Africa’s presidency said Nelson Mandela, 94, was breathing without difficulty.
It said excess fluid had been drained from the lungs to ease his breathing.
Churches across South Africa are holding prayers for Nelson Mandela, who has been in hospital for four days being treated for pneumonia
There are no details yet on how long he will remain in hospital and no statement on his condition has been given for the past 24 hours.
After Nelson Mandela was admitted to hospital late on Wednesday, South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma said people “must not panic”.
Nelson Mandela contracted tuberculosis in the 1980s while detained on windswept Robben Island.
His lungs are said to have been damaged while working in a prison quarry. This latest spell in hospital is his fourth in just over two years.
Nelson Mandela served as South Africa’s first black president from 1994 to 1999 and is regarded by many as the father of the nation for leading the struggle against apartheid.
The statement read by presidential spokesman, Mac Maharaj, on Saturday said that Nelson Mandela had been admitted to hospital “due to a recurrence of pneumonia”.
It said: “Doctors advised that due to the lung infection, former President Mandela had developed a pleural effusion which was tapped. This has resulted in him now being able to breathe without difficulty.
“He continues to respond to treatment and is comfortable.”
Mac Maharaj, a prisoner on Robben Island with Nelson Mandela in the 1960s and 70s, said the presidency “would like to acknowledge and thank all who have been praying for, and sending messages of support for, Madiba and his family.”
Madiba is Mandela’s clan name and is widely used to refer to him.
The hospital Nelson Mandela is attending has not been disclosed.
Last December Nelson Mandela was treated for a lung infection and gallstones – his longest period in hospital since leaving prison in 1990.
In February, the former president was treated for a stomach condition.
When asked whether people should prepare for the inevitable, President Jacob Zuma said: “In Zulu, when someone passes away who is very old, people say he or she has gone home. I think those are some of the things we should be thinking about.”
But the president stressed that Nelson Mandela had been able to handle the situation “very well” so far.
South Africans have been praying for the recovery of Nelson Mandela, who remains a moral beacon in the country despite withdrawing from public life almost a decade ago.
Despite his long imprisonment, Nelson Mandela forgave his former enemies and as president urged South Africans of all races to work together and seek reconciliation.
In 1993 Nelson Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
His main home is in Qunu, a small rural village in Eastern Cape province, where he says he spent the happiest days of his childhood.
However, doctors said in December Nelson Mandela should remain at his home in the Johannesburg neighborhood of Houghton to be close to medical facilities.
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Nelson Mandela has been re-admitted to hospital in South Africa with a recurrence of a lung infection.
A statement from the South African presidency said former President Nelson Mandela, 94, had been admitted just before midnight.
Nelson Mandela spent 18 days in hospital in December undergoing treatment for a lung infection and gallstones.
He is widely regarded as the father of the nation for leading the struggle against apartheid.
Nelson Mandela has been re-admitted to hospital in South Africa with a recurrence of a lung infection
Nelson Mandela served as South Africa’s first black president from 1994 to 1999. However, his health has caused concern for some time.
A presidential spokesman said Nelson Mandela was conscious and was receiving the best possible medical treatment.
“I think we need to be clear that the doctors are attending to Madiba [Mr Mandela] on a continuous basis,” spokesman Mac Maharaj said.
“They prefer to act on the side of caution, and the moment they felt there was a recurrence of the lung infection, they felt that it warranted immediate hospitalization given his age and given his history.”
The government statement said President Jacob Zuma wished Nelson Mandela a speedy recovery.
“We appeal to the people of South Africa and the world to pray for our beloved Madiba and his family and to keep them in their thoughts. We have full confidence in the medical team and know that they will do everything possible to ensure recovery,” President Jacob Zuma said.
The former president is often fondly referred to by his clan name, Madiba.
It is the fourth time Nelson Mandela has been admitted to hospital in just over two years.
He first contracted tuberculosis in the 1980s while detained on the windswept Robben Island where he served 18 of the 27 years he was imprisoned for sabotage.
His lungs are said to have been damaged when he worked in a prison quarry.
Despite his long imprisonment, Nelson Mandela forgave his former enemies and as president urged South Africans of all races to work together and seek reconciliation.
In 1993 Nelson Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
The treatment Nelson Mandela received in December 2012 was his longest spell in hospital since leaving prison in 1990.
Earlier this month he spent a night in hospital following a check-up.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has been rarely seen in public since.
Nelson Mandela lives in Qunu, a small rural village in Eastern Cape province, where he says he spent the happiest days of his childhood.
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Rachel Lundell, mother of rock chick Jo Wood, has revealed how as a teenager she stole the heart of Nelson Mandela.
Rachel Lundell was 16 when she won a pledge of undying love from Nelson Mandela, who at the time was living in a tiny village in Umtata in the Eastern Cape.
Jo Wood’s mother, now 78 and living in Devon, had just finished convent school in 1951. She was working in her aunt’s fruit store and cafe after having second thoughts about life as a nun.
Rachel Lundell had first been offered a job at a baker’s shop in nearby Mount Frere but was sacked before she had even started when the owner discovered that Desmond, the black delivery boy, was her brother.
She said: “Desmond was darker than me; I was blonde, freckled and white. My father was white and my mother looked white but her grandmother was black and she passed those genes on to us in varying degrees.”
Desperate for work, Rachel Lundell was then offered a job by her aunt, Gertie Morrison. But it was Gertie Morrison who put paid to any chance of romance with Nelson Mandela in apartheid-era South Africa.
Rachel Lundell explained: “We had a lot of black customers and he was no different, buying cigarettes and peanuts in quite large amounts.
“There was no frisson of excitement when he came in or anything like that. He certainly wasn’t what you would call handsome but he had a twinkle in his eye.
“One day he came in and I served him as usual but after he left, I noticed there was a letter on the counter addressed to me. I opened it and there was yards and yards of it.
“It started off lovey-dovey enough but before long it had turned into something of a political missive all about how he was going to free the blacks in our country. Not very romantic really.
“Then Gertie came in and saw me reading the letter. She asked who it was from and I told her.
“She snatched it out of my hands and threw it on the fire, saying I wasn’t going to be going out with any black men.”
Rachel Lundell never saw Nelson Mandela again. Soon afterwards, he moved for good from Umtata, now called Mthatha, a former military post for colonial forces, to Johannesburg where he continued his political struggle.
She continued: “I wish I still had the letter. Imagine what it might have told us today about how Mandela predicted what lay ahead for him and his country. It would have been a special piece of history.
“All I’ve got left are the memories and the endless jokes from my eventual husband and children about what might have been. I know he was a bit of a ladies’ man in later life and it would seem he might have been then, too.”
Little did Rachel Lundell know at the time that Nelson Mandela was already married to Evelyn Ntoko Mase, with whom he had three children: Thembekile, Makaziwe, who died aged just nine months, and Makgatho, born in 1951 – the year of the love note.
That same year, Nelson Mandela was elected president of the African National Congress Youth League and by April 1952 was spearheading the so-called Campaign of Defiance.
Nelson Mandela became the first black president of South Africa in 1994, standing down five years later.
In November 1952, Rachel Lundell set sail herself for a new life in England on a Dutch cruise ship with a passport and ticket arranged for her by a missionary.
Her destination was suburban Surbiton, South-West London, where she lived with her sister Joan.
About a year after arriving, Rachel Lundell was gardening at the front of the house when a local boy, Michael Karslake, strolled past and persuaded her to go to the cinema instead of the square dance she had planned.
Rachel Lundell said: “I was all dressed up in my check shirt and denim trousers but something told me to go. I was supposed to be going off travelling in Europe and he had a job lined up in Canada.
“We never looked back, though. We married in 1954 and I’m proud to say I found the right one for me. Mike gave me four lovely children, the first of whom was Josephine.”
Jo Wood, now 57, was famously married to Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood for 26 years
Jo Wood, now 57, was famously married to Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood for 26 years and has just published a new memoir – Hey Jo.
Eventually, Mike karslake and Rachel Lundell retired to Devon. Mike Karslake died in 1990, leaving Rachel Lundell with just four cats for company.
Rachel Lundell said: “I still talk to him and only the other day his picture floated down off the shelf. I knew it meant he was still with me.”
Swati Dlamini and Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway, Nelson Mandela’s granddaughters, are set to star in a reality television programme called Being Mandela.
Swati Dlamini and Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway say they have the former South African president’s blessing.
The 13-episode series, already filmed, follows the two women as they try to promote the family’s legacy while juggling motherhood in Johannesburg.
In interviews this week, they said their 94-year-old grandfather was doing well following his recent health scare.
They said he is “happy and healthy”, and produced a photograph taken at the start of the month in which Nelson Mandela holds his youngest great-grandchild – Zaziwe’s one-year-old son – on his lap.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning leader of the fight against white minority rule spent almost three weeks in hospital in December undergoing treatment for a lung infection and gallstones.
Swati Dlamini and Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway, in their 30s, are the daughters of Zenani Mandela and Prince Thumbumuzi Dlamini of Swaziland. Their grandmother is Nelson Mandela’s ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, who also makes an appearance in the show.
The series intersperses the daily challenges of family life, such as toddler tantrums and getting children to school on time, with the work the women are doing to carry on the Mandela name.
They make an emotional visit to the prison on Robben Island where their grandfather spent 18 of his 27 years imprisoned by the apartheid regime, NBC Universal, the American corporate owner of the show’s broadcaster, said in a statement.
Swati Dlamini and Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway, Nelson Mandela’s granddaughters, are set to star in a reality television programme called Being Mandela
They are also seen – along with their two brothers – launching a fashion line called Long Walk to Freedom. That is the title of their grandfather’s autobiography.
The two women, who spent much of their childhood in exile in the US, insist the programme will not damage the Mandela name.
“We get asked this question a lot. Is this not going to tarnish the name and is this not going to be bad for the name?” Swati Dlamini said in an interview with the Associated Press.
“But our grandparents have always said to us, this is our name too, and we can do what we think is best fitting with the name, as long as we treat it with respect and integrity.”
Nelson Mandela served as South Africa’s first black president from 1994 to 1999 and is regarded by many as the father of the nation.
His health has been a cause of concern for many years. He first contracted tuberculosis in the 1980s while imprisoned at Robben Island and has been admitted to hospital on three occasions in the past two years.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has been rarely seen in public since.
Being Mandela is to be broadcast to US audiences from Sunday by COZI TV, a network launched by NBC Owned Television Studios.
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Former South Africa’s President Nelson Mandela will spend Christmas in hospital, a government statement has said.
Nelson Mandela, 94, was admitted to hospital two weeks ago and has been treated for a lung infection and gallstones.
There is growing concern in South Africa about his health.
Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president, was jailed for 27 years for leading the struggle against white-minority rule.
He is regarded by most South Africans as the father of the nation, having inspired them to fight for democracy.
“Former President Nelson Mandela will spend Christmas Day in hospital, his doctors have confirmed,” a government statement said.
With every passing day there is growing public anxiety about Nelson Mandela’s health.
There was hope that he would be allowed to spend Christmas at home, but his doctors are still not comfortable about discharging him.
Former South Africa’s President Nelson Mandela will spend Christmas in hospital
Although President Jacob Zuma has described Nelson Mandela’s condition as “serious”, he has tempered this by saying that he has been “responding” to treatment, our correspondent adds.
The government says he is being treated for a recurring lung infection at a hospital in the capital, Pretoria.
He has also had an operation to remove gallstones.
Nelson Mandela first contracted tuberculosis in the 1980s while detained on windswept Robben Island prison.
He has been admitted to hospital on three occasions in the past two years.
In January 2011, he was treated for a serious chest infection in Johannesburg.
In February this year, he was again admitted to a Johannesburg hospital because of abdominal pains. He was released the following day after tests revealed nothing serious.
Nelson Mandela lives in Qunu, a small rural village in Eastern Cape province, where he says he spent the happiest days of his childhood.
He retired from public life in 2004 and has been rarely seen in public since, though he still receives high-profile visitors.
Former US President Bill Clinton visited Nelson Mandela in July.
Jacob Zuma has urged South Africans to pray for him.
Nelson Mandela served as South Africa’s first black president from 1994 to 1999.
Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president, has had an operation to remove gallstones, a government statement says.
The operation was successful and Nelson Mandela is recovering.
Nelson Mandela, who is 94, was admitted to hospital last Saturday after suffering a recurrence of a lung infection.
Tests revealed the presence of gallstones and doctors treating Nelson Mandela decided to remove them once he had recovered from the infection.
The statement claimed: “This morning, 15 December 2012, the former president underwent a procedure via endoscopy to have the gall stones removed. The procedure was successful and (Nelson Mandela) is recovering.”
Nelson Mandela has had an operation to remove gallstones
A gallstone is an accumulation of crystals in the gall bladder. If left untreated, it can become life-threatening because of the risks of secondary infections such as pancreatitis.
Nelson Mandela is regarded by most South Africans as the father of the nation, having inspired them to fight for democracy.
He led the struggle against white-minority rule before being elected the first black president in 1994.
Despite being imprisoned for 27 years by the apartheid government, Nelson Mandela forgave his former enemies and urged South Africans of all races to work together and seek reconciliation.
Nelson Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.
Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president, is being treated for a lung infection, the president’s office has said.
This is the first time officials have revealed why Nelson Mandela, 94, was rushed to a military hospital in the capital, Pretoria, on Saturday.
Tests showed a “recurrence of a previous lung infection”, presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said.
Nelson Mandela is responding to his treatment, Mac Maharaj added.
News of the hospital stay has prompted much concern in South Africa.
The former president is regarded by most South Africans as the father of the nation, having inspired them to fight for democracy.
He led the struggle against white-minority rule before being elected the first black president in democratic elections in 1994.
Despite being imprisoned for 27 years by the apartheid government, after his release he forgave his former enemies and urged South Africans of all races to work together and seek reconciliation.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.
News that the frail Nelson Mandela has another lung infection is likely to generate considerable anxiety.
Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president, is being treated for a lung infection
The officials who have visited Nelson Mandela in hospital since Saturday have all said he is doing well.
He was flown to hospital on Saturday from his home in Qunu village in Eastern Cape province by the military, which is responsible for his healthcare.
Local media reported that the decision to move him was taken so quickly that some family members and his own foundation were initially unaware of it.
But Mac Maharaj has repeatedly said that Nelson Mandela is doing well in hospital and there is no cause for alarm.
Nelson Mandela was last admitted to hospital in February when he was treated for abdominal pain.
In January 2011, he was treated for a serious chest infection.
While in prison in the 1980s, Nelson Mandela was also diagnosed with tuberculosis.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has been rarely seen in public since.
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Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s former leader, has been admitted to hospital in the capital Pretoria to undergo tests, officials say.
The office of President Jacob Zuma said 94-year-old Nelson Mandela was doing well and there was “no cause for alarm”.
Nelson Mandela spent more than two decades in jail under the white minority apartheid regime.
He served as South Africa’s first black president between 1994 and 1999, and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.
Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s former leader, has been admitted to hospital in the capital Pretoria to undergo tests
Nelson Mandela has appeared in public only rarely since 2004, when he retired from public life.
In January 2011 he was treated for a serious chest infection, and a year later underwent a diagnostic procedure for an abdominal problem.
The first banknotes featuring the face of former President Nelson Mandela have gone into circulation in South Africa.
They are the first South African notes to bear the image of a black person – they replace notes with wild animals and rural and industrial scenes.
President Jacob Zuma says the banknotes were a “humble gesture” to express South Africa’s “deep gratitude”.
Nelson Mandela, 94, is one of the world’s best loved figures after spending 27 years in prison for fighting apartheid.
Reserve Bank governor Gill Marcus was the first to use the new banknotes when she spent 160 rand, about $18 on some nuts, beetroot, a watermelon and a cucumber at her local shop in the capital, Pretoria.
She said that Nelson Mandela was delighted with the design.
The first banknotes featuring the face of former President Nelson Mandela have gone into circulation in South Africa
Gill Marcus also noted that South Africa tries to update its currency every seven years for security reasons. The new design includes watermarks and a metal strip, while raised printing was added to assist the visually impaired.
Nelson Mandela’s face is on one side of all the new banknotes, while the “Big Five” animals – lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo and elephant – remain on the reverse.
He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for his campaign against white minority rule and was elected president the following year before stepping down after a single term.
Known affectionately by his clan name “Madiba”, Nelson Mandela has now retired from public life.
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Mike du Toit, the mastermind of a white supremacist plot to kill Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president, has been convicted of treason.
A Pretoria court ruled that Boeremag group leader Mike du Toit was behind the nine bombings in Johannesburg’s Soweto township in 2002.
Mike du Toit is the first person to be convicted of treason in South Africa since white minority rule ended in 1994.
Analysts say race relations in South Africa are still tense.
However, white extremist groups like Boeremag, which means Afrikaner Power in Afrikaans, have very little support, they say.
Mike du Toit, the mastermind of a white supremacist plot to kill Nelson Mandela, has been convicted of treason
The Pretoria High Court handed down its verdict against Mike Du Toit, a former academic, following a nine-year trial.
Judge Eben Jordaan said Mike Du Toit had authored a blueprint for revolution intended to evict black people from most of South Africa and to kill anyone who got in the way, the South African Press Association reports.
Witnesses told the court that Boeremag had carried out a spate of bombings in Soweto in 2002, killing one person.
The Boeremag had also planned to stage a coup and assassinate Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison before being elected president in 1994 and acted as a unifying force after decades of white-minority rule.
The group also intended to shoot whites who opposed their vision of a racially pure nation, the witnesses said.
More than 20 other suspects were on trial with Mike Du Toit, but the court has not yet ruled on their fate.
Nearly 200 people gave evidence for the state – including police informants within Boeremag.
Nelson Mandela stood down as South Africa’s president in 1999 after serving one term, handing over to Thabo Mbeki.
Former South Africa’s President Nelson Mandela is celebrating 94th birthday on Wednesday and some 12 million schoolchildren across the country have sung a specially composed song as part of official celebrations.
Nelson Mandela will spend the day quietly with his family in his village home of Qunu in the Eastern Cape, near where he was born.
The former president met former US President Bill Clinton on Tuesday.
Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in jail for leading an armed anti-apartheid campaign.
Nelson Mandela met former US President Bill Clinton one day before his 94th birthday
Bill Clinton, accompanied by his daughter Chelsea, opened a new library for the No-Moscow Primary School in Qunu, ahead of his meeting with Nelson Mandela.
He told the children that Madiba – as Nelson Mandela is affectionately called in South Africa – believed in the future and not the past.
“When I think about Mandela I always think about someone committed to the future,” Bill Clinton said.
US President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, have also paid tribute ahead of Nelson Mandela’s birthday.
The US first couple hailed Neslon Mandela’s “extraordinary life and steadfast commitment to the principles of democracy and reconciliation.”
Nelson Mandela’s birthday is traditionally celebrated with the poor communities receiving help from those who are more fortunate.
To celebrate the number of years Nelson Mandela spent in public life, people are encouraged to spend at least 67 minutes of their time helping those who are less fortunate.
The guest list for a private lunch with Nelson Mandela has, however, been kept a closely guarded secret.
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