Nelson Mandela taken to hospital with abdominal complaint
bbc
25-Feb-2012 (2 comments)

Former South Africa President Nelson Mandela has been taken to hospital.

Officials said he was suffering from a "long-standing abdominal complaint" which doctors felt needed "proper specialist medical attention".

A spokesman for current President Jacob Zuma said the former leader, affectionately known as Madiba, was "in good spirits and well".

The 93-year-old statesman and anti-apartheid icon has suffered declining health in recent years.

Mr Zuma's office said the "love and good wishes of all South Africans and people throughout the world" were with him.

In a statement, Mr Zuma asked for Mr Mandela and his family to be given privacy.

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Darius Kadivar

Mandela Dying ? ...

by Darius Kadivar on

This issue came out of the blue, which will alarm some people. But at the same time the presidency, which is trying to control the flow of information surrounding Nelson Mandela's health, has said it was a long-standing medical complaint, so that may reassure others.

The presidency frankly admits that last year - when Mr Mandela was taken to hospital with what turned out to be acute respiratory infection - the flow of information was very badly handled. It led to a lot of rumours and panic, here in South Africa and around the world.

So this time they are trying to control it more. They are, at this stage, ahead of Twitter and internet rumours. We just have to be patient and hope that in the coming hours they do release more information.



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Roozbeh_Gilani

UN imposed Airtight Sanctions...

by Roozbeh_Gilani on

The reason Mr. Mandella lived to this long life, the reason South Africa today is a free, thriving, respected member of the International community rather than a symbol of racial apartheid and dictatorship, is the UN imposed Airtight international sanctions leading to relatively peaceful collapse of the previous apartheid regime, and it's replacement with a democratic republic.

"Personal business must yield to collective interest."