Nelson Mandela is to withdraw almost entirely from gemstone jewelry public life, it was announced today, after growing speculation about the 91-year-old¡¯s health.
South Africa¡¯s first black president quipped ¡°Don¡¯t call me, I will call you,¡± when he formally retired five years ago, but continued to grace political rallies and other special events.
Mandela, however, ¡°recently decided to cut back his engagements even further and spend more time with his family,¡± said Prof Jakes Gerwel, who chairs the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
The statement came after a week of rumours in multi strand necklace South African political and media circles that the anti-apartheid icon was in hospital and possibly nearing the end of his life.
The highly sensitive subject is rarely discussed openly, although occasional controversies erupt around the plans for his funeral and the local and international TV coverage it will attract.
The foundation took the unusual step of issuing a rebuttal of the freshwater pearl necklace rumours today. ¡°There has been a great deal of speculation recently about the state of Mr Mandela¡¯s health, to the extent where rumours have even been spread that he is extremely ill,¡± Gerwel said.