Nelson Mandela in hospital: Tight South Africa security
27 January 2011 Last updated at 17:49
BBC
Former South African President Nelson Mandela has stayed in hospital for a second day under medical supervision.
Current President Jacob Zuma said Mr Mandela, 92, had flown from Cape Town to Johannesburg and had gone to a clinic on Wednesday for a check-up.
Among his visitors at the Johannesburg hospital were his wife, Graca Machel, and ex-wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
Security was tight outside the hospital and police were called to control traffic as a scrum of journalists grew.
Media have also gathered outside Mr Mandela's home in Houghton, a wealthy suburb of north-east Johannesburg.
Mr Zuma, speaking from Davos in Switzerland where he is attending the World Economic Forum, said: "Given his age he has been taken into a hospital for a check-up. I'm sure check-ups are more frequent than when he was a healthy young man."
The ruling ANC party called for calm, urging South Africans "not to press any panic buttons".
Children at a local school have hung messages of support outside the Milpark Hospital.
Speculation
The South African liberation hero - known affectionately among South Africans by his clan name, Madiba - has appeared increasingly frail on his infrequent public appearances since retiring from public life in 2004.
His last public appearance was at the football World Cup closing ceremony last July.
South African Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu told reporters on Thursday that Mr Mandela was "frail" when he saw him last week, the Sapa news agency reported.
"He was all right, I mean, he's 92, you know.
"What more do we want from him? We want him to remain forever, but you know... anything can happen."
Privately Mr Mandela's friends have warned that his health has begun to deteriorate more rapidly in recent months, says the BBC's Andrew Harding in Johannesburg.
Media speculation about his health is increasingly frenzied.
Police are checking visitors' cars at the hospital entrance to make sure there are no journalists hiding inside.
Journalists' cars were lining the streets and snarling up the traffic, prompting irate outbursts from other drivers, reports said.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Nelson Mandela Foundation insisted Mr Mandela was "in no danger and is in good spirits".
It said he was undergoing routine tests, though South African media report he is being seen by a lung specialist.
"He is a 92-year-old and will have ailments associated with his age and the fact that he stayed the night should not suggest the worst," the African National Congress spokesman Jackson Mthembu said on Thursday.
"We urge people not to make unfounded statements, let's remain calm and not press panic buttons because there is no reason to do so."
He said any change in Mr Mandela's circumstances would be communicated.
Earlier this month, a report circulated on social network Twitter that the elder statesman had died.
It was condemned as malicious and insensitive by the ANC.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12296954
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