Johannesburg - A court appearance by Nelson Mandela's grandson on gun-related charges was delayed Thursday, amid rumours of a family meeting at the critically ill South African hero's home.
“He's not appearing tomorrow,” Luxolo Tyali, National Prosecuting Authority spokesman told AFP.
“His lawyers have made arrangements that he presents himself to court on the 12th of December.”
Mandela's grandson was due to appear in court on Friday in the Eastern Cape to answer charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and pointing a firearm related to a road incident in October.
“My client left the Eastern Cape this morning, to where I don't know,” his advocate Matthew Mpahlwa told AFP.
Meanwhile vehicles lined the street outside the 95-year-old Mandela's house in Johannesburg where he is receiving around the clock home-based intensive care.
Earlier this week, Mandela's daughter Makaziwe said her father was still fighting from his “deathbed” and was still “very strong” and “very courageous”.
“Even when there are moments when you can see he's struggling, but the fighting spirit is still there with him.”
Grandson Ndaba told a local broadcaster that Mandela was “not doing well at home in bed” where he been treated since being discharged from a nearly three month hospital stay for a lung infection earlier this year.
Mac Maharaj, spokesman for the presidency which is the official channel for updates on Mandela's health said his condition of stable but critical was unchanged.
“My last update stands,” he said.
The prosecution said Mandla's court delay, which was arranged on Thursday, was normal practice but did not give details of the lawyers' discussions.
“It's a normal practice more especially when someone is not around because he's apparently not in the province so we do understand,” said Tyali.
It is the latest court drama to hit Mandela, who has been embroiled in legal dramas over grave tampering in a bitter family feud and bigamy.
He is chief in the far-flung village where his grandfather, South Africa's first black president, was born.
Sapa-AFP