President Jacob Zuma today told the world that Nelson Mandela's condition in a Pretoria hospital remained critical for a second straight day on Monday
.
Zuma who visited Mandela Sunday night said the former president was "asleep" when he visited him
Speaking at press conference in Johannesburg Zuma
told at least 60 foreign and South African journalists that doctors are
doing everything possible to ensure the 94-year-old's wellbeing and
comfort on his 17th day in the hospital.
He repeated
some of the content of a presidential statement issued on Sunday and
refused to give any details about Mandela's condition, saying: "I'm not a
doctor."
"Madiba
is critical in the hospital, and this is the father of democracy. This
is the man who fought and sacrificed his life to stay in prison, the
longest-serving prisoner in South Africa. He is one of those who has
contributed to democracy," Zuma said.
"All of us in the country should accept the fact that Madiba is now old. As he ages, his health will ... trouble him and I think what we need to do as a country is to pray for him."
Zuma,
who in the past has given an overly sunny view of Mandela's health,
briefly described his visit to the hospital and seeing Mandela.
"It
was late, he was already asleep," Zuma said. "And we then had a bit of a
discussion with the doctors as well as his wife, Graca Machel, and we
left."
Mandela was hospitalised on 8 June for what the government
said was a recurring lung infection. This is his fourth hospitalisation
since December
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