Former South African President Nelson Mandela has been admitted to a hospital with a recurring lung infection, South Africa’s government has said. Mandela, 94, has become increasingly frail in recent years and has been admitted to hospital several times since last year, mostly recently earlier this month when he received what a presidential spokesman described as a “successful” medical test. Mandela was admitted to a hospital just before midnight on Wednesday “due to the recurrence of his lung infection,” the office of President Jacob Zuma said in a statement. “Doctors are attending to him, ensuring that he has the best possible expert medical treatment and comfort,” the statement said. It appealed “for understanding and privacy in order to allow space to the doctors to do their work”. Zuma wished Mandela a speedy recovery, referring to him affectionately by his clan name, “Madiba”.
