Nelson Mandela treated for pneumonia, breathing 'without difficulty'

JOHANNESBURG: Nelson Mandela was comfortable and breathing without difficulty on his third day in hospital after the anti-apartheid hero was treated for pneumonia, South Africa's presidency said Saturday.

Messages of concern for the ailing 94-year-old, one of the towering figures of modern history, have poured in since his admission late Wednesday for what was confirmed as "a recurrence of pneumonia".

Mandela had a build-up of fluid that had developed from a lung infection, known as a pleural effusion or "water on the lungs", drained from his chest.

"This has resulted in him now being able to breathe without difficulty," President Jacob Zuma's office said in a statement.

"He continues to respond to treatment and is comfortable."

On Friday, Mandela was said to be in good spirits and making steady progress after his third hospitalisation in four months.

"He sat up and had his breakfast in bed," Zuma's spokesman Mac Maharaj, who was in apartheid prison with Mandela, told AFP.

There were no details on Saturday on how long he would remain at an undisclosed hospital.

Mandela's recent health troubles have triggered an outpouring of prayers but have also seen South Africans come to terms with the mortality of the revered Nobel Peace Prize winner.

The former president is idolised in his home nation, where he is seen as the architect of South Africa's peaceful transition from white minority-ruled police state to hope-filled democracy.

Nearly 20 years after he came to power in 1994, the first black president remains a unifying symbol in a country still riven by racial tensions and deep inequality.

It is the second time this month that Mandela has been admitted to hospital, after spending a night for check-ups on March 9.

That followed a nearly three-week hospital stay in December, when he was treated for another lung infection and underwent gallstone surgery.

He was diagnosed with early-stage tuberculosis in 1988 during his 27 jail term and has long had problems with his lungs. He has also had treatment for prostate cancer and has suffered stomach ailments.