Doctors say Nelson Mandela in permanent vegetative state, advise turning off his life support machine

Doctors attending to former South African president Nelson Mandela at a hospital in Pretoria on Thursday advised turning off his life support machine, reported Xinhua. The doctors said the 94-year-old, who is suffering from recurring lung infection, was in a "permanent vegetative state". The revelation from Mandela's family members came as part of a dispute among them over the graves of three of his children. Court documents said, "He is in a permanent vegetative state and is assisted in breathing by a life support machine. The Mandela family have been advised by the medical practitioners that his life support machine should be switched off. Rather than prolonging his suffering, the Mandela family is exploring this option as a very real probability." The South African government said that Mandela remained 'critical but stable' after nearly four weeks in hospital. A Mandela family court affidavit said the former South African president is on life support in the form of a breathing respirator. Mandela's wife said the former president is sometimes uncomfortable but seldom in pain while receiving treatment in the hospital. Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years during white racist rule in South Africa and was freed in 1990 before being elected president. He won the Nobel Peace Prize along with former President F.W. de Klerk. - With Agency inputs