Nelson Mandela’s health has deteriorated and he is now described as being ‘critically ill’, the South African presidency has announced. President Zuma said he had been told by doctors on Sunday that the former president’s condition had worsened over the past 24 hours.

This after the former president was trapped in a broken-down ambulance for forty minutes when his health initially deteriorated. 

President Jacob Zuma said he had visited Mr Mandela and spoken to his wife and medical teams. Doctors were “doing everything possible to get his condition to improve” said Mr Zuma.” The doctors are doing everything possible to get his condition to improve and are ensuring that Madiba is well-looked after and is comfortable. He is in good hands,” said President Zuma.

Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president, now aged 94, was taken to hospital in Pretoria earlier this month for the third time this year, with a lung infection.

NELSON MANDELA: NEWS REPORTS

BBC:  Nelson Mandela critically ill in hospital

New York Times:  Mandela’s Condition is Reported to Deteriorate to ‘Critical’

CNN:  Nelson Mandela in critical condition, says South African President