Nelson Mandela, the revered anti-apartheid icon and former South African President, remained in an undisclosed hospital for a third day today for a recurring lung infection.
There were no new updates on his condition or the duration of his stay at the hospital.
The 94-year-old leader was in "good spirits" and making "steady progress", President Jacob Zuma's office had said in a statement yesterday.
"The Presidency wishes to advise that former President Nelson Mandela is in good spirits and enjoyed a full breakfast this morning. The doctors report that he is making steady progress. He remains under treatment and observation in hospital," the statement said.
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate was re-admitted to an undisclosed hospital in Pretoria before midnight on Wednesday for the third time in four months.
After he was admitted to the hospital, President Zuma had said Madiba (Mandela is often fondly known by his clan name) was doing "very well" so far and asked people not to "panic".
"Of course I have been saying to people, you should bear in mind Madiba is no longer that young and if he goes for check-ups every now and again, I don't think people must be alarmed about it. I would like to really say the country must not panic," Zuma was quoted as saying by the BBC.
Presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj has thanked media and the public for their cooperation in respecting the privacy of Mandela and his family.
Earlier this month, Mandela spent a night at a Pretoria hospital where he underwent a successful medical examination.
Three months ago, he was admitted for 18 days for treatment of the lung infection and surgery to extract gallstones. It was his longest stint in hospital since his release from prison in 1990.
Mandela had a long history of lung problems, dating back to the time when he was a political prisoner on Robben Island during apartheid. He contracted tuberculosis in 1988 during his 27 years in prison.
Mandela, one of the world's most revered statesmen, served as South Africa's first black president from 1994 to 1999 and is widely regarded as the father of the nation for leading the struggle against apartheid and for democracy.
