Mandela responding well to treatment

South African President Jacob Zuma says former President Nelson Mandela is responding positively to treatment.

Mandela “is stable and we are thankful that he is responding well to treatment and that he is much better. We remain thankful for all the support to the family during this difficult time,” said Zuma after paying a visit to the anti-apartheid icon on Thursday.

The 94-year-old Nobel Peace laureate was taken to a South African hospital for chronic pneumonia on March 27 for the fourth time in two years. Doctors drained excess fluid from his lungs last week.

Mandela has a history of lung problems dating back to when he contracted tuberculosis as a political prisoner. He spent about three weeks in hospital for a similar infection and gallstones in December 2012.

In South Africa, Mandela is often known as Madiba, his clan name, or as tata, which means father. He is widely regarded as the father of the nation for leading the struggle against apartheid. Mandela served as South Africa’s first Black president from 1994 to 1999.

The former South African president has received more than 250 awards over four decades, including the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize. In recent years, Mandela’s health problems have worried his supporters.