Nelson Mandela On Dialysis, Not In Vegetative State
SWEENEY: Welcome back to Connect the World. Nelson Mandela is not in a vegetative state. He is responding to people, and that's according to a source who has been briefed on his condition. They also said the former South African leader is getting kidney dialysis. CNN's Robyn Curnow sent us this update from Pretoria.</s>ROBYN CURNOW, CNN INTERNAITONAL CORRESPONDENT: Nelson Mandela's wife, Grace Machel, says that sometimes he's uncomfortable, that he's in pain, but generally he's OK. What we know is that Mandela is still on a ventilator, needs assistance to breathe. He's also on dialysis. We also know, though, that he's responding to stimuli. If somebody speaks to him, he opens his eyes. But still, Nelson Mandela is doing what he's always done, says those who know him. He's a fighter. He's always survived. He's never capitulated. Robyn Curnow, CNN, Pretoria.</s>SWEENEY: And Mandela who is 94 is apparently unaware of the family feud playing out around him. The Archbishop Desmond Tutu is calling for the bitter public squabble to end. CNN's Nkepile Mabuse has more on the rift dividing the Mandelas.</s>NKEPILE MABUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I first interviewed Mandla Mandela in 2008. The former businessman and university graduate had just given up a cosmopolitan lifestyle in Johannesburg to take over as chief of his grandfather's rural birthplace, Mvezo. At the time, the village had no clean running water or electricity, but he said just like his grandfather Nelson Mandela, he was there to serve the people.</s>MANDLA MANDELA, NELSON MANDELA'S GRANDSON: Our family has always been a part the greater cause of the people.</s>MABUSE: Fast forward to 2013 and Mandla is being accused by members of his own family of being self-serving by moving the remains of Mandela's children from the family graveyard in Qunu to his village of Mvezo where he's planning to open a heritage center, a prime attraction for tourists. In line with a court order Wednesday, the sheriff went to Mandla's now upgraded Mvezo compound to retrieve the remains of the children, remains the rest of the family says Mandla relocated without their consent. Mandela's eldest daughter Makaziwe led the court application that forced Mandla to return the remains to where Mandela will ultimately be buried. She argued that her father's wish is to be buried near his children. In court papers she said, "by controlling the area in which these descendants' remains are buried, he" -- meaning Mandla -- "expects that the remains of Mr. Nelson Mandela will soon follow." The judge has described Mandla's behavior as scandalous. And police are now investigating allegations of tampering with graves. Authorities say the public prosecutor will decide whether to press charges. On Thursday, Mandla fired back, calling the ruling to return the remains erroneous. He also accused his family of turning against him, because he's criticized their legal battle to control some of Mr. Mandela's companies, which are estimated to be worth millions.</s>MANDELA: This is the very family that has taken their own father, their own grandfather to court for his monies.</s>MABUSE: Mandla, who is the only young politician in the family and the eldest grandson has for years been considered among Mandela's favorites. Even with the recent criticism, there are those in his village who see a true grandson of a legend in him.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All of these developments came when Mandla was here, because he take all of the children (inaudible) he want them to work. We wish if the grave of Madiba was here, because Madiba was born here.</s>MABUSE: On Thursday, the family reburied the children's remains where they believe Nelson Mandela would have wanted them. To those in attendance, the small ceremony will go a long way in ensuring that when the time comes, Mandela himself will be able to rest in peace. Most family members will tell you that Nelson Mandela, who lies critically ill in this hospital behind me is the glue that keeps the family together. The fear in South Africa is the day he is gone, these accusations and disagreements will worsen, harming his legacy. Nkepile Mabuse, CNN, Pretoria, South Africa.</s>SWEENEY: You're watching Connect the World. And after this short break, we are going to go back to Cairo and also show you that there are protests as well as pyramids there. This is Egypt's painful political change as holiday makers stay away yet again.