"We call upon all South Africans to desist from such unhelpful and hurtful rumours about President Mandela. These statements demonstrate insensitivity by those who continue to repeat them to not only to Madiba and his family but all the people of South Africa and the world who love Madiba dearly," says the ANC spokesperson, Jackson Mthembu in a statement on Thursday.
He adds that "the Presidency remains the only authoritative source of information regarding the health of President Mandela."
Mthembu also says that they would like to express their "heartfelt gratitude to the many South Africans and other people of the world who have been praying for the recovery of Former ANC President, Comrade Nelson Mandela."
He reiterated that Madiba remains in a critical but stable condition, as announced by the presidency earlier on. He also says that they will be holding different prayer meetings throughout the country.
Thursday's prayer sessions will be held as follows:
Johannesburg: Grace Bible Church, Pimville Soweto – 14h00, today (27 June 2013). The prayer service will progress to converge at Vilakazi street – Orlando West – 17h00, (old Mandela House) Tshwane : At the park – Corner Park street and Wessels , next to Art Museum, 17h00, today (27 June 2013) West Rand : Kagiso Police Station Hall – next to Kagiso Mall, 09h00- 13h00, today (27 June 2013)
Provincial Prayer Session
As from tomorrow, 28th June, all ANC Provincial Offices will hold prayer sessions for Madiba. These prayer sessions will bring together people from all religious formations throughout our country, on an interfaith and ecumenical basis, and shall be held for an hour between 18h00 and 19h00 daily. Information on the venues will be provided on a daily basis.
Baleka Mbete held a prayer meeting on Thursday in Eastern Cape.
Madiba is spending a 20th day at a Pretoria hospital where he's being treated for a recurring lung infection. He was rushed to hospital on 8 June.
Despite intensive treatment at Pretoria's Mediclinic Heart Hospital, Mandela's condition appears to have suddenly and dramatically deteriorated in recent days. Mandela's condition has also forced President Jacob Zuma to cancel his trip to Mozambique.
Earlier on, Mandela’s elder daughter, Makaziwe Mandela, slammed the media and touched on a number of issues in an exclusive SABC interview on her father’s health.
