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South African Icon Nelson Mandela Hospitalized In Military Hospital
Mandela
The statement issued by President Jacob Zuma’s spokesman said that Mandela was doing well and was receiving medical care ‘‘which is consistent for his age.’’ The statement offered no other details.
Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison for fighting racist white rule, became South Africa’s first black president in 1994 and served one five-year term. He later retired from public life to live in his village of Qunu, and last made a public appearance when his country hosted the 2010 World Cup soccer tournament.
‘‘We wish Madiba all the best,’’ Zuma said in the statement, using Mandela’s clan name. ‘‘The medical team is assured of our support as they look after and ensure the comfort of our beloved founding president of a free and democratic South Africa.’’
While the government sought to reassure South Africans about Mandela’s health, he remains viewed as a father figure to many in this nation of 50 million people. Each hospital trip raises the same worries about the increasingly frail former leader of the African National Congress — that the man who helped bring the nation together is slowly fading away.
In February, Mandela spent a night in a hospital for a minor diagnostic surgery to determine the cause of an abdominal complaint. In January 2011, however, Mandela was admitted to a Johannesburg hospital for what officials initially described as tests but what turned out to be an acute respiratory infection. He was discharged days later.
Mandela contracted tuberculosis during his years in prison. He also had surgery for an enlarged prostate gland in 1985.
While Zuma’s statement offered no further details about who would provide medical attention for Mandela, the nation’s military has taken over caring for the aging leader since the 2011 respiratory infection. At 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria on Saturday night, the facility that previously cared for Mandela in February, everything appeared calm, without any additional security present.
Mac Maharaj, a presidential spokesman, declined to say whether Mandela had been flown by the military from Qunu to Pretoria. He also declined to say what the tests were for.
‘‘It’s quite normal at his age to be going through those tests,’’ Maharaj told The Associated Press.
Mandela’s hospitalization comes just days after the crash of a military aircraft flying on an unknown mission near Mandela’s rural home in which all 11 onboard were killed.
The plane was flying to a military air base in Mthatha, which is about 30 kilometers (17 miles) north of Qunu. Military officials declined to say whether those on board had any part in caring for Mandela.
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Associated Press writers Thomas Phakane in Pretoria, South Africa, and Andrew Meldrum in Johannesburg contributed to this report.
Posted by
Mporokoso
December 8, 2012 at 8:21 pm
Get well soon. Love u Madiba
Shibobo
December 8, 2012 at 9:34 pm
Madiba,stay a little longer,we need you.
Dave Mawaro
December 8, 2012 at 9:36 pm
Madiba is not a South African icon. He is an icon for the whole world especially africa. He is clearly bigger than South Africa. Perfect gentleman. Always reminds of my own father who could have bn 94 also this year. We have a lot to learn from that blessed generation. Always service before self. Not aya amafi yamuno nshiku. Lesa twafweni . Ba Madiba get well soon Lesa waluse abe nenu.
Muntu Na Muntu
December 8, 2012 at 9:51 pm
sorry Madiba!
Wantanshi
December 8, 2012 at 10:09 pm
The man looks very tired. And 94 years of age is taking its toll in-spite of superior medical attention. Lifespan is 70 – 90, but with exceptional vigor coupled with excellent medical facilities you are fortunate to go beyond 90. May he recover soon.
Fairthought
December 8, 2012 at 10:35 pm
Madiba I wish you good health so that you recover and see some more days and let other greedy leaders learn from you. Great ICON of Our mother land of Africa all the best!
Mutototo 2
December 8, 2012 at 10:55 pm
Wishing you a quick recovery Madiba & get well soon!!!
HK
December 8, 2012 at 11:39 pm
I wish God’s recovery on Madiba.
Democrat
December 9, 2012 at 2:37 am
Abena Madiba baume. Get well soon. Clock 100 years we still need your presence on this planet.
Uwakwamununga
December 9, 2012 at 2:53 am
we love you Mandela.
mc
December 9, 2012 at 3:14 am
Tata madiba,imwe mwilwlwala pliz!wishing u well oways!
Jorge
December 9, 2012 at 7:50 am
Get well soon Dad
Temwani
December 9, 2012 at 8:00 am
You are a great man, Madiba. You deserve to be in good health.God bless you.
nyax
December 9, 2012 at 9:51 am
Get well grandpa we stil need u in ths life.
blessing
December 9, 2012 at 12:56 pm
l pray to God to heal you now in Jesus’ name.
Get well daddy
Grant
December 9, 2012 at 5:42 pm
94!!!and still holding on to dear life…awe sure tushenipo.tafifulile.mmm…kwena,lets start lookn for da next great man to rid africa of poverty.echotufwile.
mulenga
December 9, 2012 at 8:55 pm
get welsoon, u are not yet through wth us we needy
rogers makjumbili
December 9, 2012 at 10:50 pm
We love you madiba get wel soon.
Lebo
December 10, 2012 at 6:07 pm
May de gud God be with u Tata Mandela,May de gud God grant u with long life n may de gud God heal u.We still need u
just me
December 11, 2012 at 6:58 am
are already healed in jesus name…
MAKUTU
December 11, 2012 at 11:12 am
Wishing you the quickest recovery Ndate Madiba,God will always be with, we still need you.
mali
December 11, 2012 at 3:46 pm
@Grrant, kwena uli chipuba sana, do u read history and find out what this man stood for, kwena some people if you have no proper contributions, better stay away, does he feed from your pockets, besides he cant even be allowed to eat from your smelling dirt home, who are u anyway? those who appreciated what he did for the whole of africa knows why he should be wished wel. Youa re the kind of children abakana aba fyashi nga balemoneka ukuchula. Get out son of a *****!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mwandi Tata we wish u well, those against are from the village, they know nothing about you.
God bless u, out of the hospital soon.
mahola
December 11, 2012 at 3:52 pm
@Grant, my names are Mahola Mabbena Mandela, if only I can reach this Grant I can beat him to death, unfortunate, I cant reach you, Madiba Mandela is our father, our grand-father, Uncle, and everything is in him.
We as a family wish him well. Us close relatives enjoy and admire his grave stance to stand for people of south africa, rather africa, his stories of what he went through are so aspiring.