Hurray!!! Nelson Mandela is conscious and recognises visitors

Nelson Mandela is conscious and recognises visitors, the king of his Thembu tribe told AFP Wednesday, after visiting the global icon in hospital.

"He is well," King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo said, giving an upbeat, but cautious account of the 94-year-old's condition.

"He could not talk, but he recognised me and made a few gestures of acknowledgement, like moving his eyes," said Dalindyebo, who is also a nephew of the former South African president.

He said his uncle was "assisted in many ways," and was attached to lots of tubes.

"He is under a lot of support. I'm sure it's the kind of support that he needs."

Dalindyebo had travelled from his village in the Eastern Cape to see Mandela, who has been receiving treatment for a lung condition for more than a month. http://news.iafrica.com/sa/869644.html

He arrived to Mandela's Pretoria hospital with a delegation of traditional chiefs to "pay their respects to the great leader".

On Tuesday, an official government update described Mandela's condition as "critical but stable," as members of his family gave positive accounts of his health.

Doctors are said to have ruled out turning off his life support machines unless there is serious organ failure.

Nelson Mandela is "unstable" at times but has shown "great resilience" as he remains in a critical condition in hospital, South Africa's presidency said on Saturday.

"While at times his condition becomes unstable, the doctors indicate that the former president has demonstrated great resilience and his condition tends to stabilise as a result of medical interventions," a statement said.

The ailing 95-year-old anti-apartheid icon, fondly known by his clan name "Madiba", was hospitalised in Pretoria on June 8 with a recurring lung infection.

"Doctors are still working hard to effect a turnaround and a further improvement in his health and to keep the former president comfortable," President Jacob Zuma's office added.