Early on Saturday morning former South African and ANC president Nelson Mandela was admitted to hospital after his lung infection recurred. Presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj said: “This morning at about 1.30am his condition deteriorated and he was transferred to a Pretoria hospital.” “He remains in a serious but stable condition.”
Mandela has been going in and out of hospital over the last few months. He spent spent nine days in hospital receiving treatment for pneumonia during the Easter Holidays. He was discharged on the 6th of April. Earlier in March, he had spent a night in hospital for what officials said was a scheduled medical test.
In December last year, he spent 18 days in hospital, where he was treated for a lung infection and also had a procedure to remove gallstones. He spent Christmas in hospital. In January, the presidency released a statement saying he had made a full recovery.
Mandela’s admission to hospital comes just over a month before his 95th birthday. He turns 95 on the 18th of July and plans for his birthday celebrations are already in place. It was announced in April that his family was planning birthday celebrations in Pretoria, London and Monaco.
The presidency said Mandela “is receiving expert medical care and doctors are doing everything possible to make him better and comfortable”. President Jacob Zuma, on behalf on the government and the nation has wished him a speedy recovery.
