But human rights lawyer, George Bizos, who defended Mr Mandela during his 1960s treason trial, said that while the 94-year-old is aware of current political events, he sometimes forgets his fellow anti-apartheid activists are dead.
In an interview he told Eyewitness News: “Unfortunately he sometimes forgets that one or two of them had passed on and has a blank face when you tell him that Walter Sisulu and some others are no longer with us.”
Mr Sisulu, the former leader of the ruling African National Congress, who was Mr Mandela’s political mentor, died nearly a decade ago.
Mr Bizos, who has been friends with Mr Mandela since the 1940s, paid a visit to the Nobel Peace Prize winner at his Johannesburg home just over a week ago.
He said: “I saw him about 10 days ago. He looked OK.”
Mr Mandela was admitted to hospital on Saturday for “a scheduled medical check-up to manage the existing conditions in line with his age”, the South African presidency said.
It came less than three months after he was treated for a lung infection and gallstones.
Mr Bizos represented Mr Mandela and other leading anti-apartheid activists including Mr Sisulu and Govan Mbeki during the infamous 1960s Rivonia Trial that saw Mr Mandela sentenced to life in prison.
Sky News.
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