Pretoria – There was no harm to Nelson Mandela when his ambulance broke down on 8 June, the night he was hospitalised, the presidency said on Saturday.

Speaking to eNCA, presidency spokesperson Mac Maharaj said “no incidents arose” and there was a full complement of medical staff to look after Mandela when his ambulance broke down on the side of the highway for 40 minutes.

When asked how it was that an ambulance with engine trouble came to be used to transport the former president, Maharaj said: “It happens in life, no one can predict [that a] fully functional vehicle would have a breakdown.”

When asked about a report stating that Mandela was unresponsive and hadn’t opened his eyes in days, Maharaj said it was “highly reckless to tell lies”.

He said there was no information yet on when Madiba will be discharged as doctors were treating him and they will say when Mandela is well enough to be discharged. 

News24