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| Nelson Mandela's health causes anxiety in South Africa | Nelson Mandela's health causes anxiety in South Africa |
| (25 days later) | |
| South Africans anxiously awaited word on Sunday on the health of former president Nelson Mandela after he was admitted to hospital. | South Africans anxiously awaited word on Sunday on the health of former president Nelson Mandela after he was admitted to hospital. |
| President Jacob Zuma visited Mandela on Sunday at the hospital in Pretoria and found the frail 94-year-old to be "comfortable and in good care", the presidential spokesman, Mac Maharaj, said in a statement. Maharaj offered no other details about Mandela, nor what medical tests he had undergone since entering the hospital on Saturday. | President Jacob Zuma visited Mandela on Sunday at the hospital in Pretoria and found the frail 94-year-old to be "comfortable and in good care", the presidential spokesman, Mac Maharaj, said in a statement. Maharaj offered no other details about Mandela, nor what medical tests he had undergone since entering the hospital on Saturday. |
| The continued uncertainty about Mandela's health saw worshipers gather at the Regina Mundi Catholic church in the Soweto area of Johannesburg to pray for the leader. The church was a centre of anti-apartheid protests and funerals. | The continued uncertainty about Mandela's health saw worshipers gather at the Regina Mundi Catholic church in the Soweto area of Johannesburg to pray for the leader. The church was a centre of anti-apartheid protests and funerals. |
| "Yes, it really worries us because he is a great person," one church-goer, Shainet Mnkomo, said as she left an early-morning service. "He did so many things to the country; he's one of those persons who we remember most." | "Yes, it really worries us because he is a great person," one church-goer, Shainet Mnkomo, said as she left an early-morning service. "He did so many things to the country; he's one of those persons who we remember most." |
| 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 remote village of Qunu, in the Eastern Cape area, and last made a public appearance when his country hosted the 2010 World Cup football tournament. | 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 remote village of Qunu, in the Eastern Cape area, and last made a public appearance when his country hosted the 2010 World Cup football tournament. |
| Many in this country of 50 million people view Mandela, who led the African National Congress to power, as a father figure and an icon of integrity and magnanimity amid the nation's increasingly messy politics. Inside the Soweto church, a stained-glass window depicts Mandela, in a grey suit and blue tie, raising his hands to wave at a crowd. His image stands just next to another portraying a man carrying the corpse of 13-year-old Hector Pieterson, who was gunned down by police in the black township in June 1976, as students protested peacefully against apartheid. | Many in this country of 50 million people view Mandela, who led the African National Congress to power, as a father figure and an icon of integrity and magnanimity amid the nation's increasingly messy politics. Inside the Soweto church, a stained-glass window depicts Mandela, in a grey suit and blue tie, raising his hands to wave at a crowd. His image stands just next to another portraying a man carrying the corpse of 13-year-old Hector Pieterson, who was gunned down by police in the black township in June 1976, as students protested peacefully against apartheid. |
| A statement from Zuma's office on Saturday announced that Mandela had been hospitalised for tests and was receiving medical care "consistent for his age". | A statement from Zuma's office on Saturday announced that Mandela had been hospitalised for tests and was receiving medical care "consistent for his age". |
| In February, Mandela spent a night in a hospital for 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. | In February, Mandela spent a night in a hospital for 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. | Mandela contracted tuberculosis during his years in prison. He also had surgery for an enlarged prostate gland in 1985. |
| While South Africa's government has offered no details about who would provide medical attention for Mandela, the nation's military has taken over medical care for the ageing 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. On Sunday morning, soldiers set up a checkpoint to search vehicles heading into the hospital grounds. | While South Africa's government has offered no details about who would provide medical attention for Mandela, the nation's military has taken over medical care for the ageing 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. On Sunday morning, soldiers set up a checkpoint to search vehicles heading into the hospital grounds. |
| Mandela's hospitalisation comes after the crash on Thursday of a military aircraft flying on an unknown mission near Mandela's rural home in which all 11 pilots and passengers were killed. The plane was flying to a military air base in Mthatha, which is about 17 miles north of Qunu. Military officials declined to say whether those on board had any part in caring for Mandela. | Mandela's hospitalisation comes after the crash on Thursday of a military aircraft flying on an unknown mission near Mandela's rural home in which all 11 pilots and passengers were killed. The plane was flying to a military air base in Mthatha, which is about 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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