JOHANNESBURG: Nelson Mandela was on Saturday spending his third day in hospital after making "steady progress" for a recurring lung infection, the latest health scare for the nonagenarian anti-apartheid icon.
Messages of concern for the ailing 94-year-old, one of the towering figures of modern history, have poured in since his admission late Wednesday and President Jacob Zuma's spokesman gave an upbeat report on Friday.
"He was in good spirits, he had a full breakfast, and the doctors report that he's making steady progress," Mac Maharaj told AFP. "He sat up and had his breakfast in bed."
There was no update yet on Saturday from Mandela's doctors on his condition or details on how long he would remain at the undisclosed hospital, he said.
Mandela's recent health troubles have triggered an outpouring of prayers but have also seen South Africans come to terms with the mortality of the revered Nobel Peace Prize winner.
The former president is idolised in his home nation, where he is seen as the architect of South Africa's peaceful transition from white-minority ruled police state to hope-filled democracy.
Nearly 20 years after he came to power in 1994, he remains a unifying symbol in a country still riven by racial tensions and deep inequality.
It is the second time this month that he has been admitted to hospital, after spending a night for check-ups on March 9.
That followed a nearly three-week hospital stay in December, when Mandela was treated for another lung infection and underwent gallstone surgery.
He was diagnosed with early-stage tuberculosis in 1988 during his 27 years in prison under the apartheid regime and has long had problems with his lungs. He has also had treatment for prostate cancer and has suffered stomach ailments. (AFP)
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