The South African government has announced that ex -president Nelson Mandela has recovered from a lung infection and  the surgery to remove gallstones.

Mac Maharaj, Zuma’s spokesman, told CNN International that Mandela is receiving continued treatment at his home in the Johannesburg suburb of Houghton.

He is also reportedly reading newspapers, sitting up in bed, and seeing visitors, according the Associated Press, which cited South African media reports.

Mr Mandela, 94, spent almost three weeks in hospital last month.It was his longest stay in hospital since he left prison in 1990.

His health has been a cause of concern for many years. He first contracted tuberculosis in the 1980s while detained in Robben Island prison.

Mandela served as South Africa’s first black president from 1994 to 1999 and is regarded by many as the father of the nation.

By UP