Nelson Mandela remains in hospital after admission last week
June 11, 2013
Nelson Mandela is one of the world's most notable freedom fighters and former heads of state, and during his time as the president of South Africa he oversaw the country's gradual transition away from the oppressive actions of apartheid. Recently, Mandela was admitted into a Pretoria hospital as the result of complications from a lung infection, and as of four days later, The Associated Press reported that officials are saying that his condition remains "serious but stable." Those who have relatives living in South Africa may want to reach out to them using an international calling card, in order to gain a more thorough perspective on the events.
According to the news source, the office of South African President Jacob Zuma's official line on the matter was both guardedly positive and vague. "President Zuma has full confidence in the medical team, and is satisfied that they are doing their best to make Madiba [Mandela's tribal name] better," his statement read.
The Globe and Mail reported that certain unnamed sources have stated that Mandela's medical issue is one of great magnitude - as his liver and kidneys are afflicted along with his lungs. The official statement from the president's office seems to follow a trend that appears to have emerged in the Zuma administration. According to the news outlet, Zuma's office did not correctly name the hospital where Mandela was being treated during a previous medical issue, and has consistently remained elusive regarding specific details.
Nelson Mandela, currently 94, is a folk hero among the majority of South Africa's population, having spent 27 years in prison after being jailed by the racist government for leading the country's anti-apartheid movement. The AP stated that he contracted tuberculosis while serving his sentence and laboring in a stone quarry with other prisoners. The resulting vulnerability of his lungs may have helped contribute to his presently dire medical status.
Yet after his release in 1990, Mandela campaigned as strongly as he ever had for reform, and his efforts paid off in the fall of the apartheid system and his own election as the country's first black president.
Mandela's status among South Africans is exemplified by children from the Rainbow Christian School, who gathered outside the former leader's home in Johannesburg to sing and provide positive reinforcement.
Mama Zodwa, the children's teacher, told the AP, "I know that if he was able to speak, he was going to play with them today. Unfortunately, wherever he is, he's not well, but I know that he worked very, very hard for us. That's why we are here."