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Pretoria — Fewer police officers were manning the entrances of the Pretoria hospital where former president Nelson Mandela was spending a 12th day yesterday. Three officers stationed at each entrance were screening all vehicles entering the Medi-Clinic Heart hospital. The number of media personnel, including technical and logistical staff, had also dwindled compared to the hundreds that milled outside the hospital during Mandela’s initial days at the facility.
Mandela (94), was hospitalised in the early hours of 8 June with a recurring lung infection. The presidency said he was in a “serious but stable” condition.
Several close relatives of the anti-apartheid icon have been visiting him daily.
On Tuesday, Mandela’s ex-wife, ANC MP Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, was at the hospital. She, and her daughter, left the facility after 16:00 in a black Audi A5 with flashing blue police lights.
Well-wishers have adorned the hospital’s security wall with an assortment of get-well-soon cards, bouquets of flowers, balloons, sculptures, and flags.
Some of the handmade cards were designed in the shape of palms. Some had small pictures of Mandela and some were decorated with red roses. — Sapa
derick.khumalo