Health condition of Mandela worries thousands of South Africans

Nelson Mandela

After being hospitalized on Saturday June 8, former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, 94, is still in the hospital due to a  continued strong lung infection. This is the fourth time that Mandela is hospitalized since December of 2012.

“Former President Nelson Mandela remains hospitalized and his condition is stable. Madiba was admitted on June 8, 2013 to be treated at a hospital in Pretoria for a lung infection,” said the president in a brief statement, using his clan name, adopted by the vast majority of South Africans.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people gathered to pray for him during the Sunday Mass of the Regina Mundi Catholic Church in Soweto, Johannesburg. On the other hand, millions of South Africans are carrying out prayer chains, using even social networking for the prayers to be worldwide.

His recurrent lung problems are tied to a tuberculosis contracted during the 27 years he was imprisoned on Robben Island prison, breaking rocks and breathing the dust which damaged forever his respiratory organs.

Mandela became a worldwide symbol of triumph over adversity and the first black leader of South Africa in 1994 after the defeat of apartheid.