Makaziwe Mandela, Nelson Mandela's eldest daughter labelled the media as "vultures" in their news coverage about the South African leader's health.

She was quoted by the Los Angeles times as saying, "There's sort of a racist element with many of the foreign media, where they just cross boundaries. It's truly like vultures waiting when the lion has devoured the buffalo, waiting there for the last of the carcass. That's the image we have as a family.

Makaziwe told a news channel that it was difficult to enter and leave the hospital with reporters hovering over her. She added that if the media had respect for her father, they would give him more space and time.
This is Mandela's fourth hospitalization this year and South Africans have been preparing for his passing by holding prayer vigils for the ailing leader.

Although government representatives claimed that the father of the nation is in critical condition, his family has maintained that he was stable earlier this week.

In a recent report on Friday. Makaziwe said, "I re-iterate that Tata (father) is very critical that anything is imminent. She was speaking to reporters during her revisit to the Mediclinic Heart Hospital, where Nelson Mandela was admitted since June 8. He was admitted to the hospital for a chronic lung condition.