Pretoria - Acting President, Kgalema Motlanthe has conceded that government could have handled the matter of Nelson Mandela's admittance to hospital better.
"With the wisdom of hindsight, we could have handled this matter differently," he said at a press conference at the Milpark Hospital where the former statesman was admitted for a respiratory infection on Wednesday.
"The former statesman is not only a South African icon, but an icon of the entire world and therefore we should indeed .... indicate that he is being hospitalised in future," said Motlanthe.
There has been criticism by the media on the lack of information regarding Madiba's health while admitted at the hospital. This had led to widespread speculation that his health had drastically deteriorated.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation had not issued a statement since it confirmed that Madiba was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday afternoon. Local and international media have been camped outside the facility since.
Madiba has been discharged and is now at his home in Houghton where he will receive home-based care.
