News / Africa
Madiba 'stronger' by the day says daughter
10 Aug 2013 at 08:22hrs | Views
Cape Town - Hospitalised former president Nelson Mandela is becoming more alert by the day, even managing to sit up in a chair, his youngest daughter Zindzi Mandela told the SABC on Friday.
"He's fine, Tata now manages to sit up, like now he sits up in a chair for a few minutes in a day, every day you know he becomes more alert more responsive. Tata is determined not to go anywhere anytime soon, I cannot stress this enough. People must stop saying to the family let go let go, we are just looking at this man who is saying I'm not going anywhere," said Zindzi.
Mandela, who spent his 95th birthday at the Last month the Medi-Clinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria , will have been at the hospital for 64 days on Saturday after having been admitted on 8 June due to a recurring lung infection.
"You know he just doesn't have the strength of a man, he just has the strength that is beyond anything that can be explained. Because even now with the challenges to his health, he somehow manages to bounce back when everyone assumes this is the end," Zindzi told the broadcaster.
Although visits by the public have dwindled since the initial panic over the iconic statesman's health many still make the journey to the hospital.
A group of Congolese church members arrived to pray, Sapa reported.
"Tata Mandela means a lot to our church and our country," Dr Bayizi Tunda a medical doctor at Heidleburg hospital said.
"He fought for freedom and equality. Our founder, Simon Kimbangu spent 30 years in jail in the DRC, so both of them had the same goals and struggles."
Some of the members of the Kimanguiste had travelled from Yeoville, in central Johannesburg and others from Pretoria North.
The church's band marched along Celliers Street outside the Medi-Clinic Heart hospital. Some members took photos by the wall decorated with cards, posters, and flowers for Mandela.
"He's fine, Tata now manages to sit up, like now he sits up in a chair for a few minutes in a day, every day you know he becomes more alert more responsive. Tata is determined not to go anywhere anytime soon, I cannot stress this enough. People must stop saying to the family let go let go, we are just looking at this man who is saying I'm not going anywhere," said Zindzi.
Mandela, who spent his 95th birthday at the Last month the Medi-Clinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria , will have been at the hospital for 64 days on Saturday after having been admitted on 8 June due to a recurring lung infection.
"You know he just doesn't have the strength of a man, he just has the strength that is beyond anything that can be explained. Because even now with the challenges to his health, he somehow manages to bounce back when everyone assumes this is the end," Zindzi told the broadcaster.
Although visits by the public have dwindled since the initial panic over the iconic statesman's health many still make the journey to the hospital.
"Tata Mandela means a lot to our church and our country," Dr Bayizi Tunda a medical doctor at Heidleburg hospital said.
"He fought for freedom and equality. Our founder, Simon Kimbangu spent 30 years in jail in the DRC, so both of them had the same goals and struggles."
Some of the members of the Kimanguiste had travelled from Yeoville, in central Johannesburg and others from Pretoria North.
The church's band marched along Celliers Street outside the Medi-Clinic Heart hospital. Some members took photos by the wall decorated with cards, posters, and flowers for Mandela.
Source - News24
