Mandela may spend Christmas in hospital

South Africas ailing anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela may have to stay in hospital over Christmas, a presidential aide suggested on Sunday, although he declined to give any update on his current state of health.The frail 94-year-old former president was admitted to hospital in the capital Pretoria on December 8. He is receiving treatment for a recurring lung infection and has also had a procedure to remove gallstones.We all wish that he could be home for Christmas, but first and foremost he needs to get better, presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said after press reports he may stay in hospital during the festive season.At this stage there is no update on his condition and his doctors have given no indication about when Madiba will be discharged, Maharaj said, using Mandelas clan name.Only President Jacob Zumas office is tasked with issuing updates about the health of the revered elder statesman.Official reports about his treatment have not revealed much information about the seriousness of Mandelas condition nor details about the sort of treatment he is undergoing.Mr Mandela used to throw lavish Christmas parties for children in his southern rural home village of Qunu, where kids rom impoverished backgrounds would be showered with gifts.American talk show host Oprah Winfrey, who is a close friend of Mandela, attended a party in 2002.But the events ceased after he retired from public life in 2004 and since then he has been spending Christmas privately with his family.Local and international journalists have been camping outside Mandelas suburban home north of Johannesburg since the beginning of the week as rumours of an imminent release from hospital made the rounds.A government official initially said Mandela was being cared for at the One Military hospital outside Pretoria, the countrys top military facility. Press reports later said he was at the private Mediclinic Heart Hospital in the capital, but this has not been confirmed by the government.Radio 702 reported that security is tight outside the Mediclinic.