Nelson Mandela undergoes surgery to remove gallstones

View images of civil rights leader Nelson Mandela, who went from anti-apartheid activist to prisoner to South Africa's first black president.

Former South African President Nelson Mandela has successfully undergone surgery to have gallstones removed, the office of the presidency said in a statement Saturday.


Mandela, 94, was admitted to hospital last week for a recurring lung infection. Doctors discovered that he had developed gallstones but postponed surgery until his lung infection was treated, the presidency said.

"The procedure was successful and Madiba is recovering," the statement said, referring to Mandela by the clan name used as a sign of affection.

'Who is my Mandela?' South Africans consider icon's place in a changing world

Mandela is revered for being a leader of the struggle against racist white rule in South Africa. He served one five-year term as president before retiring from public life.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Discuss this post

Apparently, Mandela has a lot of gall.

    Reply#1 - Sat Dec 15, 2012 3:21 PM EST

    It isn't a lot of gall he has, it's the belief in equality and tolerance for all. Now he has hard stones from his very essence to teach that wonderful lesson over and over and pass it on.

    "He drew a circle to shut me out. I drew one larger to that took him in."

    • 1 vote
    Reply#2 - Sat Dec 15, 2012 3:53 PM EST

    Windancersong-1494878

    It isn't a lot of gall he has, it's the belief in equality and tolerance for all.

    Except his ex-wife.

    • 3 votes
    #2.1 - Sat Dec 15, 2012 7:17 PM EST

    Re you familiar with "necklacing"? It was a wwonderful little practice ENDORSED by the Mandelas, those so called "peace loving" folk, that involved soaking tires in gasoline and placing them around the necks of white Afrikaners, then setting them on fire. Yeah, Mandela is a great man...on par with Hittler and Stalin...

      #2.2 - Mon Dec 17, 2012 8:51 AM EST
      Reply
      Comment author avatarAl Wilsonvia Facebook

      It is great he has out lived all of his enemies, Botha, Falwell, Reagan. Certain people said he was going to be a dictator but he only serve 1 elected term of 5 years and he then retired. A dictator? I don't think so.

      • 4 votes
      Reply#3 - Sat Dec 15, 2012 7:22 PM EST

      What makes you think your capable of thinking

        #3.1 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 10:46 AM EST

        @Al Wilson

        Therin lies Mandela's claim to greatness. You can count on one hand the people in history who have had the opportunity to assume and wield power and laid down their ambitions for the good of their people...and as an example for the rest of the world...George Washington is another example...Mandela, like Washington, can truly be called "Father of their Country".

          #3.2 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 12:26 PM EST

          Comparing Mandell to Washington only show your lack of knowledge and History ...

            #3.3 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 12:41 PM EST
            Reply

            The most respected person in the world is 94...Barack Obama, the second most respected person in the world will take over if Mandela kicks.

              Reply#4 - Sat Dec 15, 2012 8:18 PM EST

              What world is that ... Planet Ghetto .. because i have never met 1 person who thinks either one of them is worth a pile of crap

                #4.1 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 10:42 AM EST
                Reply

                Mandela may be a respected man but Obama sure as hell isn't

                • 2 votes
                Reply#5 - Sat Dec 15, 2012 10:15 PM EST

                Dont count on the Mandela part either

                  #5.1 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 10:50 AM EST

                  texas drink one more and go to sleep. you post as if your mouth is being heard

                    #5.2 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 9:12 PM EST
                    Reply

                    Mandela is no hero. Under his "leadership" South Africa went from the weathiest country on the continent to a third world nation where white farmers ar routinely slaughtered in their own homes simply because they are white. The whites in the country have almost no legal protection as they are considered "previously privelidged people." Wake up people! Mandela is a hate-monger and a villian. Do a little research and tell me that the apartheid government was not the better option!

                      Reply#6 - Sat Dec 15, 2012 11:10 PM EST

                      Nelson Mandela is no hero, folks. Under his "leadership", South Africa went from the weathiest nation of the continent to a third world disaster area. This "tolerent" man helped usher in an era where white farmers are routinely murdered in their own homes simply for the crime of being white. They fall into a category known as "previously priviledged people" and are afforded almost no legal protection whatsoever. Mandela is a hatemonger and a villian. Please do the research folks before you believe everything you hear.

                      • 1 vote
                      Reply#7 - Sat Dec 15, 2012 11:21 PM EST

                      There is not one country in the world run by blacks that isnt a total cluster fck

                        #7.1 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 10:41 AM EST

                        lol. Coincidence? I doubt it. Its not racist to say so either. Its simply observation of the facts. Wait til the U.S. gets there...its coming...and soon. President Obama has been a complete disaster, folks. And now, without an election to worry about, the kid gloves are off. The USA will eventually become a completely secular, commmunist nation...the federal government has already stripped nearly all of the constitutionally granted powers from the states, a precedent set by America's first tyrant, Abraham Lincoln.

                          #7.2 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 1:26 PM EST
                          Reply

                          The word in S Africa is that when Mandela dies three days later the blacks are to attack and kill all whites left in the country. This is what blacks have been telling the whites for some time. I do not live there so it will not affect me but it will be something to watch. And if it does happen I am sure they will have a good excuse for doing it.

                            Reply#8 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 12:53 AM EST

                            Is this N***** still alive?

                              Reply#9 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 1:30 AM EST

                              Wow, putting a 94 year old under anesthesia is kind of riskier than the gallstone. A friend once used olive oil for a week and did the job.

                              Hope he is well, just a great man.

                              One for the ages.

                                Reply#10 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 3:51 AM EST

                                DO you know him ... because unless you personally know him ... there is NO way in hell you can have any realistic idea what kind of person he is

                                  #10.1 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 10:36 AM EST

                                  I don't think they put him under general anesthesia. The reports are unclear if they removed his gallbladder or just a stone causing a issue. One report said they went down his throat which would mean they just went in and took out a stone that was likely jammed in a bile duct out. That procedure uses a intravenous drug like propofol which is safer ...still not without risk ask michael jackson

                                    #10.2 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 11:40 AM EST

                                    Michael Jackson deserved to die ... so whats your point

                                      #10.3 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 11:45 AM EST

                                      @Texas A&I do YOU know him? Because unless you personally know him there is NO way in hell you can have any realistic idea what kind of person he is. I'll tell you what though...it's obvious what kind of person YOU are.

                                        #10.4 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 12:31 PM EST

                                        Who we talking about .. Mandella .. i said unless you know him ...

                                        M Jackson .. yes he deserved to die ... no one forced him to be the biggest drug addict in L.A. Much less a child molesting pedophile

                                          #10.5 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 12:39 PM EST

                                          @Texas A&I

                                          yeah you said "unless you know him"...you don't know mandela...so in reality you're telling yourself to STFU...good advice...you should take it...

                                          • 1 vote
                                          #10.6 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 12:44 PM EST

                                          As for M Jackson .. if you play Russian roulette with 5 bullets every day ... ya, you deserve to get shot in the head ... what the hell do you expect to happen

                                            #10.7 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 12:52 PM EST
                                            Reply

                                            Yes Mugabe should take a lesson from Mandells book..

                                              Reply#11 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 7:58 AM EST

                                              Good thing the guy is in the disgusting poor country of South Africa .. Under Obamacare a 94 yr old would never get the OK for surgery

                                                Reply#12 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 10:33 AM EST

                                                suck on it texas pussy

                                                  #12.1 - Sat Dec 22, 2012 7:55 PM EST
                                                  Reply

                                                  Blessings on this precious man...In my good thoughts and wishes for a speedy recovery; the world needs him so badly....

                                                  • 1 vote
                                                  Reply#13 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 11:22 AM EST

                                                  Hey, anybody know that my beagle Joey had to go to the vet to get relief from too much gas?

                                                    Reply#14 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 11:47 AM EST

                                                    Hang tough big guy, you have been thru worse. We as a world need you, yesterday, today and tomorrow.

                                                      Reply#16 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 2:19 PM EST

                                                      The Dutch who immigrated to the country called South Africa in 1652 a.d. along with the Walloons,

                                                      French Huguenots, and later the British, fought the Bantus and the other black tribes and defeated them.

                                                      The Zulu's and some of the other tribes immigrated from the central african interior also. So the African

                                                      tribes have no more claim to South Africa than the Whites do. Aparteid and the ill treat associated with it

                                                      was wrong, but killing and raping the Whites now is doubly wrong. The world press ignores it.

                                                      It makes me wonder why the South African military disabled its' nuclear arsenal after apartied eneded.

                                                      Could it be that the Blacks do have the morals nor the sophisticated knowledge to safely keep such weapons.

                                                      The Whites of South Africa need to leave, because they will become nothing slaves in the future.

                                                      Australia, Canada and the U.S. is their only hope.

                                                        Reply#17 - Sun Dec 16, 2012 4:27 PM EST

                                                        I agree with everything you said until the very end there, my friend. The whites in South Africa will not cower and flee. And certainly not to the countries you named where the ultra liberals seek to destroy those things which make them who they are. Rather many of us put our hope in God and in the belief that we will someday be saved from the murder and opprission that Mandela and his ilk have so gleefully foisted upon us. In the mean time, we hold tight to our rifles and keep a watchful eye.

                                                          Reply#18 - Mon Dec 17, 2012 8:47 AM EST
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