President Jacob Zuma of South Africa said that he was happy with former President Nelson Mandela's health. He was responding to treatment for lung infection.

He added that the improvement comes after "a difficult last few days," reports The Associated Press.

Mr. Mandela was hospitalised on Saturday, and his lung infection has been recurring during the week.

"On this crucial historical anniversary," Mr Zuma added, as he referred to the life imprisonment sentencing of Mandela in 1964 - "our thoughts are with President Mandela and his family,“ read a report by South Africa News.

Mr Zuma was quoted as saying in southafrica.info, “It is a pleasure to share Madiba (Mandela) with the global community,” adding, "We urge South Africans and the international community to continue to keep President Mandela and the medical team in their thoughts and prayers."

Several news agencies have been camping out in front of the hospital and Mandela's home in Johannesburg.

Despite news of Mr. Mandela's improvement in health, there is still a lot of ambiguity surrounding his life. Experts say that South Africa's legal system is not clear about persons who die without a will. And people are skeptical about what the government and family are teling them about Mandela, who is in essence the 'father figure of South Africans.'

The situation is amplified by the legacy that this great man leaves behind. With elections around the corner, and the state of affairs in an upheaval, Mandela's grave condition leaves South Africa with anti-apartheid to be thankful for. But it also leaves the distraught nation with so many social problems like crime and crowded cities.

"I believe, personally, that there is a lack of honesty in this matter," said Cheryl Webb, who works for the Family Law Clinic in Cape Town in a report by The New York Times. "You just get the feeling that the truth is not being told. We have elections coming up soon. There is talk of absolute chaos in the country after Mandela passes away. There are so many factors."

Two of his grandchildren were seen visiting the 94-year old anti-apartheid activist, while Makazlwe and Zindzi, his daughters, were with him at the Pretoria hospital.

Rumours of a feud over family wealth spilled into media reports, endangering a high reputation that South Africans have for the family.

One of his grandchildren said that he was shocked to hear a discussion of Mandela's wealth in public.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner has six children and 17 grandchildren, reports The Chronicle.

Mr Mandela championed the anti-apartheid movement in the country by protesting against discrimination of blacks. He spent 27 years in prison before taking the helm as the first black president of South Africa in 1994. He represented the African National Congress Party for the last 19 years.

Despite a free South Africa, reflections of apartheid still exist in the country. For instance, blacks in the country have less education, and only five per cent of blacks have direct stock ownership in the Johannesburg stock market.

To promote national reconciliation, President Zuma said policies for black economic empowerment will move the country forward.

"In addition, annual Employment Equity reports indicate that white males still own, control and manage the economy," Zuma was quoted as saying by Yahoo News.

Zaheerah Bham'Ismail, a neighbour of the Mandela's, said this is a transition for South Africans since Mandela "portrays the entire legacy of what everybody has fought for and our ideals."

"But at the same time, we know we have to say goodbye at some point because he needs ... his peace, as well. But I think in order to hold on to him, we've got to go back to fight for the ideals that he fought for," Bham'Ismail told the Associated Press.