South Africa's anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela on life support

JOHANNESBURG: Nelson Mandela is on life support, an elder in the South African icon's clan said Wednesday, as President Jacob Zuma called off a scheduled trip to Mozambique.

"Yes, he is using machines to breathe," Napilisi Mandela told AFP after visiting the anti-apartheid hero. "It is bad, but what can we do."

Zuma cancelled a trip scheduled for Thursday after he "found him to be still in a critical condition", a statement from the presidency said. (AFP)