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| Nelson Mandela looking frail in news video at anti-apartheid hero's home | Nelson Mandela looking frail in news video at anti-apartheid hero's home |
| (10 days later) | |
| The South African president, Jacob Zuma, said he found Nelson Mandela "in good shape and in good spirits" on Monday – but a video of their encounter showing the ailing Mandela looking distant tells a different story. | The South African president, Jacob Zuma, said he found Nelson Mandela "in good shape and in good spirits" on Monday – but a video of their encounter showing the ailing Mandela looking distant tells a different story. |
| Three weeks have passed since Mandela was released after a 10-day stay in hospital, the third time in five months he has been hospitalised for a lung infection. | Three weeks have passed since Mandela was released after a 10-day stay in hospital, the third time in five months he has been hospitalised for a lung infection. |
| "He's looking very good, he's in good shape," Zuma told the South African Broadcasting Corporation on the doorstep of Mandela's Johannesburg home. "We had some conversation with him, shook hands … He's really up and about, and stabilised. We're really very happy, we think that he's fine." | "He's looking very good, he's in good shape," Zuma told the South African Broadcasting Corporation on the doorstep of Mandela's Johannesburg home. "We had some conversation with him, shook hands … He's really up and about, and stabilised. We're really very happy, we think that he's fine." |
| But the SABC video shows Mandela in an armchair with his head propped up on a pillow, his legs on a footrest and covered by a blanket. He looks ashen, unsmiling and with what appear to be marks on his face from a recently removed oxygen mask. | But the SABC video shows Mandela in an armchair with his head propped up on a pillow, his legs on a footrest and covered by a blanket. He looks ashen, unsmiling and with what appear to be marks on his face from a recently removed oxygen mask. |
| Zuma jokes with two officials of the ruling African National Congress, Mandela family members, and the former president's medical team while Mandela stares straight ahead, unresponsive. Zuma tries to hold Mandela's hand but, given his lack of response, ends up covering it with his own. | Zuma jokes with two officials of the ruling African National Congress, Mandela family members, and the former president's medical team while Mandela stares straight ahead, unresponsive. Zuma tries to hold Mandela's hand but, given his lack of response, ends up covering it with his own. |
| The video will probably cause further concern for the many people in South Africa and abroad who revere Mandela as the founder of a free South Africa and who were buoyed by the ageing hero's release from hospital, as well as family statements that he is doing as well as can be expected for a 94-year-old. Mandela's 95th birthday is in July. | The video will probably cause further concern for the many people in South Africa and abroad who revere Mandela as the founder of a free South Africa and who were buoyed by the ageing hero's release from hospital, as well as family statements that he is doing as well as can be expected for a 94-year-old. Mandela's 95th birthday is in July. |
| Zuma is expected to run for re-election next year and Mandela's name is the biggest attraction for the ANC. | Zuma is expected to run for re-election next year and Mandela's name is the biggest attraction for the ANC. |
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