The former South African president is in a "serious but stable condition", a spokesman for the current President, Jacob Zuma, says.

 

Mr Mandela, 94, has been ill for some days but deteriorated¹（恶化） overnight and was transferred to a hospital in Pretoria.

 

Mr Mandela led the fight against apartheid, became South Africa's first black president, and is widely regarded as father of the nation.

 

He has recently suffered a series of health problems and this is his fifth visit to hospital in two years.

 

In April he was released from hospital after a 10-day stay caused by pneumonia²（肺炎）.

 

His illness was described on Saturday as a recurrence³ of a lung infection, which has troubled him repeatedly. 

 

Mr Mandela was taken to hospital, from his home in a suburb of Johannesburg, at about 01:30 local time (23:30 GMT Friday).

 

Mac Maharaj, South Africa's presidential spokesman, told the BBC he was receiving expert medical care.

 

Doctors were doing everything possible to make him comfortable and better, he added.

 

Mr Maharaj said at least one close member of Mr Mandela's family was with him in hospital.

 

"Naturally the immediate⁴ members of the family have access to him and it's always good for the patient that he has been accompanied by one or other of them, and that has happened," he said.

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