12:02 31 March 2013
Nelson Mandela was once again admitted to hospital late Wednesday night due to recurrding lung infection. On Friday, the South African governemnt assured the public that Mr Mandela is in good spirits and making steady progress.
President Jacob Zuma, on the other hand, said that Mr Mandela is doing very well. He also said he hopes to visit him in hospital as soon as possible.
Spokesman Mac Maharaj explained: ‘I think we need to be clear that the doctors are attending to Madiba on a continuous basis. 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 hospitalisation given his age and given his history.’
Mr Mandela, the first black president of South America, has been in and out of the hospital for the past few months due to recurring lung infection. In December, he spent 18 days on a ward undergoing treatment the said disease and gallstone surgery.