Pretoria - North West ANC chairman Supra Mahumapelo led a group paying respects to former president Nelson Mandela at the Mediclinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria on Tuesday.
The delegation consisted of the party's leaders in the province.
They placed flowers and 10 two-litre bottles filled with “holy water” at the wall where countless messages of support have been left.
They sang a hymn translated from Setswana as “Where there is God, there are no problems”.
“We are here to pray to God and the gods to heal Tata Madiba,” Mahumapelo said.
“Doctors need to be given space to attend to Madiba. Even if I had the opportunity to see him, I will not do so in accordance with African culture that when an elder is sick... only the family should see him.”
He said the group was confident the Mandela family would be able to resolve their internal conflicts regarding the burial of Mandela's children.
In African culture, family matters were resolved internally, he said.
“We hope the family can handle the matter. The ANC in the Eastern Cape has engaged the family, urging them to take the matter out of the public arena.”
Earlier in the day, police prayed for the critically ill former president on his 25th day in hospital for treatment of a recurring lung infection.
Captain Moses Sithebe headed the prayers by a small group of police attached to the crime intelligence and protection unit, which is stationed opposite the private hospital.
The unit provides protection for the country's president and former presidents.
Sithebe said God had a purpose to unite the world through Mandela.
“God is the only one, who knows our day.... Day by day, we seek a miracle of God in the life of Madiba. We seek a miracle of God to wake him up. Others said it is time for him to go, but God said, it is not done yet.” - Sapa