Nelson Mandela dies

Nelson Mandela dies
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, the
father of the nation, has died on
December 5 2013 at the age of 95.

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, the
father of the nation, died on
December 5 2013 at the age of 95.
President Jacob Zuma made the
announcement from the Union
Buildings in Pretoria on Thursday
night. He said Mandela passed
away at 20:50 in his Houghton
home surrounded by his
wife, Graça Machel and members
of his family.
Zuma said Mandela would have a
state funeral and that the flags
would fly half-mast from
December 6 until after the
funeral.
Zuma called on South Africans to
"recall the values for which
Madiba fought".
Long illness
Mandela was hospitalised on June
8 with a recurring lung infection.
Initial reports from the
Presidency suggested Mandela
was stable, although his condition
was serious. But on June 23, the
Presidency announced that
Mandela's condition had
deteriorated and he was critical.
Court affidavits soon confirmed
that the former statesman was on
an assisted-breathing, life
support machine. More reports
emerged about Nelson Mandela
in the days that followed, that he
was in a "permanent vegetative
state ", although the presidency
denied these, maintaining that he
was "critical yet stable".
On his 95th birthday, July 18,
President Jacob Zuma announced
an improvement in Mandela's
health. Mandela was discharged
from hospital in September and
transported to his home in
Houghton.  In November, his
family said he remained "quite
ill" , but his pneumo