Family Members With Nelson Mandela at Pretoria Hospital

Family members of Nelson Mandela including ex-wife Winnie, are gathering at the bedside of the former South African leader as he spends his fourth consecutive day in hospital. The former president, who will be 95 next month, remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital in Pretoria where he was taken on Saturday after experiencing breathing difficulties.

Winnie Mandela, 76, who was married to Mr Mandela for almost 40 years between 1957 and 1996, spent around an hour at her ex-husband's bedside in Pretoria yesterday afternoon.

One of their daughters Zindziwa, 52, has also visited him in intensive care. She told the South African Guardian: 'I’ve seen my father and he’s well. He’s a fighter.'
Their other daughter Zenani, 53, has flown home from Argentina, where she is South Africa’s ambassador, to be at his bedside along with his third wife Graca Machel and other family members.

Mr Mandela's wife, Graca Machel, who accompanied him to hospital on Saturday, cancelled a scheduled appearance in London so she could stay with her husband.

Yesterday the family of the iconic former leader denied barring government officals and high-ranking members of the ANC from his bedside, a government spokesman said.  

'We have spoken to the family about this report and they deny that they issued such an instruction or spoke to the media on barring the ANC and government from visiting Madiba,' said spokesperson Jackson Mthembu in a statement.

'What we know is that given the pressure associated with the admission of president Mandela, there are general restrictions that permit only relevant people to have access.'
Yesterday a foundation led by retired archbishop Desmond Tutu described the 94-year-old anti-apartheid hero as an 'extraordinary gift' to South Africa.

A statement issued for the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation described Mr Mandela as "the beloved father of our nation" and offered prayers for a man seen by many around the world as a symbol of reconciliation because of his peacemaking role when white racist rule ended in South Africa.