South Africa: Nelson Mandela's situation is still CRITICAL, says Jacob Zuma

Former South African President Nelson Mandela remains in a critical condition in hospital, President Jacob Zuma says.

Mr Zuma said the doctors were doing everything they could to make the former leader comfortable, but he could not give any more medical details.

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

A senior official said South Africans should not hold out "false hopes".

On Sunday, the presidency announced that Mr Mandela had become critical, after Mr Zuma visited him in hospital.

Mr Zuma said on Monday he had found Mr Mandela asleep, but had spoken to his wife and medical teams.

Mac Maharaj, Mr Zuma's spokesman, told the BBC's Newshour on Sunday that the doctors' use of the word "critical" was "sufficient explanation that should raise concern amongst us".

"Therefore we want to assure the public that the doctors are working away to try and get his condition to improve," he said.

Mr Maharaj added that this was a stressful time for the Mandela family, and appealed for their privacy.

"I think there is need to be sombre about the news. There is a need not to hold out false hopes but at the same time let's keep him in our thoughts and let's will him more strength," he said.

Nelson Mandela's daughter, Makaziwe, whom he had with his first wife Evelyn, asked in an interview with CNN on Saturday for the family's privacy to be respected:

"Other people want to lecture us on how we should behave, and what we should do. Really, it's our dad, it's the children's grandfather. We've never had him in our life for the better part of our years. This is in a sense quality and sacred time for us, and I would expect the world to really back off and leave us alone."

The ANC - the party of Mr Mandela and Mr Zuma - said it "noted with concern" the latest reports, and that it joined the president in calling "for us all to keep Madiba, his family and medical team in our thoughts and prayers during this trying time".