Mandela latest: ‘Sometimes unstable but resilient’

Former South Africa’s president Nelson Mandela latest medical report says he is “unstable” at times but has shown “great resilience” as he remains in a critical condition in hospital.

The latest report is contained in a statement issued by South Africa’s presidency Saturday.

“While at times, his condition becomes unstable, the doctors indicate that the former president has demonstrated great resilience and his condition tends to stabilise as a result of medical interventions,” a statement said.

“Doctors are still working hard to effect a turnaround and a further improvement in his health and to keep the former president comfortable,” President Jacob Zuma’s office added.

On August 11, the presidency said Mandela was making “a slow but steady improvement” but that he remained critically ill.

His youngest daughter Zindzi Mandela said two days earlier that he was able to sit up unaccompanied and was “more alert, more responsive”.

Zuma urged South Africans to continue praying for Mandela and to keep the country’s first black president constantly in their thoughts.

The government of Jacob Zuma has been issuing periodic statements on the condition of the African icon, while on admission in a Pretoria hospital.

The ailing 95-year-old icon was hospitalised on June 8 with a lung infection.