Mandela spends 'restful day' with family in hospital

Former South African president Nelson Mandela has spent a day with family in the Johannesburg hospital where he is being treated for a fifth day for a recurring lung infection that developed into pneumonia.

The 94-year-old who helped free South Africa from white minority rule has had weak lungs ever since he quarried stone on Robben Island during some of his 27 years of imprisonment when he contracted tuberculosis.

A presidential spokesman said there was no significant change in Mr Mandela’s condition after he had spent a restful day and was comfortable.

Last week doctors drained Mr Mandela’s lung area of fluid which helped him to breathe more freely.

Children wrote loving messages on stones outside his Johannesburg home, saying: “Get well we love you”.