Former President, anti-apartheid icon and first Black South African leader Nelson Mandela was hospitalized Wednesday for a recurring lung infection.
This is the second time Mandela has been taken in for treatment this month. Two weeks ago, officials said he visited the infirmary for what they described as a routine checkup.
Current President Jacob Zuma released a statement shortly after news of Mandela's hospitalization broke.
"Doctors are attending to him, ensuring that he has the best possible expert medical treatment and comfort," Zuma said. "We appeal to the people of South Africa and the world to pray for our beloved Madiba (Mandela's clan name), and his family, and to keep them in our thoughts."
According to Mac Maharaj, spokesperson for Zuma, 94-year-old Mandela was conscious upon hospital admittance.
"Doctors are doing everything to keep him comfortable and treat the infection," he told the Wall Street Journal.
Mandela has stayed out of the public eye in recent years, as he has been battling lung infection for more than two decades. In March, the former leader was taken in to treat a lung infection; in December 2012, he had a three-week hospital stay to treat the same infection and to remove gallstones.
He has not appeared for any public events since 2010, when South Africa hosted the World Cup. Mandela and his wife, Graca Machel, made a rare visit to the arena, riding on the soccer field in a golf cart, waving. He has also not participated in politics since the end of his term in office.
Mandela was elected South Africa's first Black president in 1994, and is best known for his anti-apartheid ideals, which led to his imprisonment for nearly 25 years. He is considered a hero in his nation.
In 1993, Mandela and then-president F.W. de Klerk won the Nobel Peace Prize.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
