NELSON Mandela remains serious but stable on his third day in a Pretoria hospital.
"His condition is unchanged," the office of president Jacob Zuma said, urging South Africans to pray for the former president and his family.
Mr Mandela, pictured, who is 94, was taken to hospital on Saturday to be treated for a recurring lung infection. At that time, Mr Zuma's office described the anti-apartheid leader's condition as "serious but stable".
On Sunday, members of Mr Mandela's family were seen at the hospital and the African National Congress, South Africa's ruling party, dismissed as false a report in The Star newspaper that relatives had barred party leaders and officials from visiting.