Pretoria – Former president Nelson Mandela’s wife Graça Machel on Friday arrived at the Pretoria hospital where the ailing icon is being treated.

Activity outside the Medi-Clinic Heart Hospital was minimal.

Tshwane metro police continued manning the cordoned-off section of the Celliers Street entrance, but there was little traffic.

A few local and international journalists remained outside both entrances to the facility.

Members of the public occasionally visited the hospital to take pictures of a wall covered with messages and flowers for Mandela, who was admitted on June 8 with a recurring lung infection.

Friday was his 56th day in the hospital.

SAPA