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Desmond Tutu urges Nelson Mandela's family to end feud Desmond Tutu urges Nelson Mandela's family to end feud
(about 2 hours later)
Two leading South Africans have called for an end to a bitter row among members of Nelson Mandela's family over the reburial of three of his children.Two leading South Africans have called for an end to a bitter row among members of Nelson Mandela's family over the reburial of three of his children.
Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe said he hoped the public dispute could be resolved in a "dignified manner".Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe said he hoped the public dispute could be resolved in a "dignified manner".
Archbishop Desmond Tutu pleaded with the family not to "besmirch" Mr Mandela's name with their squabble.Archbishop Desmond Tutu pleaded with the family not to "besmirch" Mr Mandela's name with their squabble.
Mr Mandela, 94, has spent the past four weeks in a Pretoria hospital where he is said to be in a critical condition. President Jacob Zuma has meanwhile denied reports that Mr Mandela, 94, was in a vegetative state.
After visiting the anti-apartheid icon on Thursday, President Jacob Zuma issued a statement denying that he was in a vegetative state. South Africa's first black president has spent the past four weeks in a Pretoria hospital with a recurrent lung condition.
"A team of doctors, nurses, paramedics and other health professionals attend to Madiba on a 24-hour basis," it said, referring to Mr Mandela by his clan name. "Madiba remains in a critical, but stable condition. The doctors deny that the former president is in a vegetative state," said a statement from Mr Zuma, who visited Mr Mandela on Thursday.
"Madiba remains in a critical, but stable condition. The doctors deny that the former president is in a vegetative state." The statement came after court papers filed on behalf of Mr Mandela's eldest daughter, Makaziwe, on 26 June said his health was "perilous" and that he was "assisted in breathing by a life-support machine", the AFP news agency reports.
The statement came after court papers filed on behalf of Mr Mandela's eldest daughter on 26 June said his health was "perilous" and that he was "assisted in breathing by a life-support machine", the AFP news agency reports. However, subsequent court papers seen by the BBC also on behalf of Makaziwe Mandela, do not mention that he was in a "vegetative state".
Mr Mandela was admitted to hospital on 8 June with a recurring lung infection. His wife, Graca Machel, has said he is sometimes "uncomfortable, but he has never been in pain". One of Mr Mandela's friends and fellow former prisoners, Denis Goldberg, who visited the anti-apartheid icon on Monday, also said he was responsive but was prevented from speaking because he had tubes in his mouth.
"I'm quite satisfied he was responsive to what I was saying," he said.
His wife, Graca Machel, on Thursday said he is sometimes "uncomfortable, but he has never been in pain".
'Very sad''Very sad'
Correspondents say there has been a long-running battle over Mr Mandela's legacy, but that it has intensified as his health has deteriorated.Correspondents say there has been a long-running battle over Mr Mandela's legacy, but that it has intensified as his health has deteriorated.
On Thursday, the bodies of three of his children were reburied in their original graves in the village of Qunu, where South Africa's first black president was brought up. The feud over the reburial of Mr Mandela's children is linked to the decision about where he will eventually be buried, as it is thought he would like to interred alongside them.
Earlier, forensic tests confirmed the identity of the bodies which had been exhumed by police from the homestead in the village of Mvezo owned by Mr Mandela's grandson, Mandla, following a court order. The legal documents were filed by Makaziwe and several other relatives last week in order to persuade a judge to make a speedy decision over whether to exhume the children.
An affidavit filed by Mandela family members, including his wife and his daughter Makaziwe, alleged that Mandla had relocated the graves in 2011 to ensure that his grandfather would be buried in Mvezo, in defiance of his wishes. On Thursday, the three bodies were reburied, following a court order, in their original graves in the village of Qunu, where Mr Mandela was brought up and where he is said to want to be laid to rest.
At a news conference, Mandla accused some of his relatives of washing their dirty linen in public and battling for control of his grandfather's assets. Earlier, forensic tests confirmed the identity of the bodies which had been exhumed by police from the homestead in the village of Mvezo owned by Mr Mandela's grandson, Mandla.
An affidavit filed by Mandela family members alleged that Mandla had relocated the graves in 2011 to ensure that his grandfather would be buried in Mvezo, against his wishes.
At a news conference on Thursday, Mandla accused some of his relatives of washing their dirty linen in public and battling for control of his grandfather's assets.
"In the past few days, I have been the target of attacks from all sorts of individuals wanting a few minutes of fame and media attention at my expense," he said."In the past few days, I have been the target of attacks from all sorts of individuals wanting a few minutes of fame and media attention at my expense," he said.
His family rivals were motivated by revenge as he had refused to support their legal case to oust three of Mr Mandela's aides from companies the ex-president had set up, Mandla added.His family rivals were motivated by revenge as he had refused to support their legal case to oust three of Mr Mandela's aides from companies the ex-president had set up, Mandla added.
Later, Deputy President Motlanthe criticised the behaviour of Mr Mandela's family on a radio chat show in Johannesburg.Later, Deputy President Motlanthe criticised the behaviour of Mr Mandela's family on a radio chat show in Johannesburg.
"It's all very sad, but we've got to continue keeping the family and Madiba in our prayers and hope, continue to hope, that Madiba will recover and also that the family will manage its own affairs in a dignified manner," he said."It's all very sad, but we've got to continue keeping the family and Madiba in our prayers and hope, continue to hope, that Madiba will recover and also that the family will manage its own affairs in a dignified manner," he said.
Archbishop Tutu, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the struggle against white minority rule, appealed to the family to overcome their differences. Archbishop Tutu, who, like Mr Mandela, won the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the struggle against white minority rule, appealed to the family to overcome their differences.
"Please, please, please may we think not only of ourselves? It's almost like spitting in Madiba's face," he said in a statement."Please, please, please may we think not only of ourselves? It's almost like spitting in Madiba's face," he said in a statement.
"Your anguish, now, is the nation's anguish - and the world's. We want to embrace you, to support you, to shine our love for Madiba through you. Please, may we not besmirch his name?""Your anguish, now, is the nation's anguish - and the world's. We want to embrace you, to support you, to shine our love for Madiba through you. Please, may we not besmirch his name?"