‘Mandela health condition critical’

The health condition of former South African President Nelson Mandela has become critical, the office of President Jacob Zuma says.

According to a statement published by the office, Mandelaâ„¢s medical team informed Zuma of his critical condition after the president visited the 94-year-old anti-apartheid leader at the Medi-Clinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria on Sunday evening.

Å“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,” the South African president said.

Zuma also visited Graca Machel, Mandela’s wife, at the hospital to discuss his condition.

The president also referred to the governmentâ„¢s acknowledgement a day earlier regarding the fact that the ambulance carrying Mandela to the Pretoria hospital two weeks ago had an engine trouble. At the time, Mandela had to be transferred to a second ambulance to continue his journey to the hospital.

“There were seven doctors in the convoy who were in full control of the situation throughout the period. He had expert medical care,” Zuma said, adding, “The fully equipped military ICU ambulance had a full complement of specialist medical staff including intensive care specialists and ICU nurses. The doctors also dismissed the media reports that Madiba (Mandela) suffered cardiac arrest. There is no truth at all in that report.”

Mandela has a history of lung problems dating back to when he contracted tuberculosis as a political prisoner.

On March 28, he was rushed to a South African hospital for the same problem. He also spent about three weeks in hospital for a similar infection and gallstones in December 2012.

The Nobel Peace laureate, who led the country to democracy in 1994, left office in 1999 after serving one term as president.

Seen as South Africaâ„¢s moral compass, the highly revered leader announced his retirement from public life in 2004, but continued to make a few public appearances.

NT/HN