Mandela's media team to handle information about his health

Johannesburg: A team comprising local and international media will assist the South African government to develop a protocol around statements regarding the health of former president Nelson Mandela to avoid public panic and media frenzy on the matter. The decision to form the team was taken during a meeting between media and government representatives yesterday after media had difficulties in getting information when Mandela was admitted to hospital on Saturday. [caption id=“attachment_227860” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Nelson Mandela. NY Times”] [/caption] He was discharged and returned home after a lapsroscopy on Sunday. “The character of the meeting was very positive. There was agreement and a meeting of minds on concerns about former President Nelson Mandela. All parties acknowledged that Madiba (as Mandela is affectionately known), is indeed a persona of national interest and a global icon,” government spokesman Jimmy Manyi said in a statement. The meeting agreed that a task team made up of all parties concerned will be established to discuss protocols of operations to manage Madiba’s movements in the event of him having to go in and out of hospital. Mandela, 93, won the Nobel Peace Prize together with the last white minority President, FW de Klerk, for bringing about this reconciliation despite being kept on Robben Island as a political prisoner for 27 years. PTI