Pretoria - With the State of the Nation Address delivered just a day before the 21st anniversary of Nelson Mandela's release from prison, President Jacob Zuma kicked off the address by wishing Mandela a speedy recovery.
Zuma wished the former President well on behalf of all South Africans, saying Mandela has made an enormous contribution to the country, its people and the world.
Mandela was recently hospitalised after suffering from an acute respiratory infection. After a two-and-a-half day stay at the Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg, he was discharged and is currently receiving home-based care at his Houghton home.
"We need to accept the reality that President Mandela, who is loved by all of us, young and old, men and women, black and white, is not young anymore. He will, from time to time, visit medical facilities for checkups, which is normal for a person of his age," he said.
The President called on South Africans to allow Mandela to so with dignity while giving his family and medical team the space and privacy to care for him.
Zuma also assured the nation that Mandela was receiving good medical care and was "comfortable".
He thanked the former President's family, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and his medical team for caring for the global icon.
