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visited the former president in hospital yesterday, Zuma’s spokesperson, Mac Maharaj, said.
They were briefed by the medical team who informed them that the former president’s condition had become critical over the past 24 hours.
Zuma and Ramaphosa also met with Mandela’s wife, Graça Machel, at the hospital and discussed Madiba’s condition, Maharaj said.
“The doctors are doing everything possible to get his condition to improve and are ensuring that Madiba is well-looked after and is comfortable. He is in good hands,” said Zuma.
Zuma has appealed to the nation and the world to pray for Madiba, the family and the medical team that is attending to him during this difficult time.
The 40 minutes that an extremely ill Madiba spent in the icy cold while stranded on a Gauteng highway in a broken ambulance could have caused his death, a respected cardiologist said last Saturday.
The military ambulance taking the former president to hospital broke down two weeks ago between Pretoria and Johannesburg.
American news service CBS last Saturday reported that Madiba’s heart had stopped.
Three independent sources confirmed last Saturday night that Mandela had to be resuscitated.
When the ambulance broke down, it was 6 °C outside and Mandela’s wife, Graça Machel, who was apparently also stranded in the ambulance for 45 minutes was said to be “crazy” with worry.
Although Maharaj said doctors were satisfied that Mandela had suffered no harm, many doctors have differed in their opinion.
Cardiologist Dr David Janekelow said any delay was a reason for concern.
“You want to get emergency treatment as soon as possible. If someone has already been resuscitated and there is a delay to get him to hospital it can have serious consequences,” he said.
Another cardiologist, Dr Richard Nethononde agreed: “Mandela could’ve died next to the road while they waited for another ambulance.”
It was also alleged on Saturday that Mandela’s liver and kidneys were only functioning at 50 percent and that he had not opened his eyes in days.
All the presidency was willing to say on Saturday was that his condition was serious, but stable.
According to the Sunday Times, Graca Machel has been sleeping in a room next to Mandela’s at the hospital every night.
The newspaper also reported that Madiba’s close family was deliberating on “just how much medical intervention was enough for an old and very sick man”. — News 24
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