Former South Africa’s President Nelson Mandela’s recurring lung condition is not improving but could be failing.

This became evident when the presidential spokesperson, Mac Maharaj, released the official statement on the Nobel Peace Prize laureate’s condition late on Tuesday.

Maharaj reiterated that Mandela was in a “serious but stable” condition.

This is the same expression that has been used since Mandela was admitted to a Pretoria Medi-Clinic Heart Hospital on Saturday morning. This means his condition remains unchanged.

The presidential statement was released soon after President Jacob Zuma got a thorough briefing from Mandela’s medical team.

In the past couple of instances that Mandela had been hospitalised, the public was updated daily on his improving condition up until he left for home.

This has not been the case this time around, suggesting his condition is more serious than ever before.

The presidency has had nothing new to say except that his condition is serious but stable.

In addition, the last time Mandela left hospital a top medical team was assigned to be with him at home all the time.

The fact that he was admitted at the hospital on Saturday morning suggests that his condition had deteriorated at home, prompting the medical team to recommend hospitalisation.

Mandela’s condition has divided the country right through the middle, with others saying he should be left to die peacefully. Others have said this statement is un-African.

On April 6 this year, Mandela was released from hospital after spending nine days of treatment for his lung problem, which often comes back.

Early in March this year, he went to a Pretoria hospital for a check-up. He was released the day after.

In December, he was in the same medical centre for 18 days as he went through an operation to take out gallstones and treat the lung infection.

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