Madiba ‘alive and kicking’

Former president Nelson Mandela.

Former president Nelson Mandela.

Published Jan 28, 2011

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Former president Nelson Mandela is “alive and kicking”, says acting president Kgalema Motlanthe.

“He hasn’t passed on,” Motlanthe told the SABC on Thursday.

“As you all know former president Nelson Mandela was admitted for a routine check (to) hospital. That has set the rumour mill into overdrive. Because of this overdrive people have been receiving SMSes indicating he has passed on,” he said.

Motlanthe’s comments came amid a news blackout from the Nelson Mandela Foundation on the health of Mandela who was admitted to Milpark hospital in Johannesburg on Wednesday for “routine checks”.

As Mandela’s hospital stay stretched into a second day and concern mounted about his health, president Jacob Zuma said he was merely undergoing a check-up and called for calm.

Meanwhile, the White House said on Thursday that the thoughts of US president Barack Obama and his wife Michelle were with Mandela as the 92-year-old remained in hospital.

“The president and the first lady… their thoughts are with Nelson Mandela,” said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.

State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said that the US was hoping for a “speedy recovery” for the South Africa’s first democratically elected president.

“He is one of the world’s statesmen, a truly global citizen in the finest sense of the word.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family. He is a great friend of the United States,” said Crowley, adding that the US embassy in Pretoria was closely monitoring Mandela.

On Thursday a steady stream of high-profile visitors arrived at Joburg’s Milpark Hospital.

Anti-apartheid activist Albertina Sisulu entered the hospital in a wheelchair, followed by Mandela’s eldest grandson, chief Mandla Mandela, and his younger brother.

Justice minister Jeff Radebe; Mandela’s former wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela; his personal assistant, Zelda la Grange; and Josina, daughter of Mandela’s wife Graca Machel; arrived earlier.

All except Radebe visited for no more than an hour before exiting; Sisulu seemingly unperturbed by the mob of cameras and waving graciously as she made her way down the road. Madikizela-Mandela was later seen leaving the hospital looking distressed and appearing to wipe away tears. Later, long-time friends Bantu Holomisa and Richard Maponya visited.

. - Pretoria News

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