In honour of Madiba
Doctor and family agree to tell Mandela’s medical history
Ndileka Mandela, former president Nelson Mandela's granddaughter, and Basetsana Kumalo at the Sisterhood of Red scarves, a Thembekile Mandela Foundation campaign to raise funds for sanitary towels.
Former president Nelson Mandela’s death happened in an unexpected way.
His doctor Vejay Ramlakan, in an exclusive interview with Sowetan yesterday, said in the last few years before Mandela died in December 2013, there were moments when they were not sure if the statesman would live another 24 hours.
“He used to recover from medical procedures that people of his age did not,” Ramlakan said. “Once in 2011, President Jacob Zuma asked if he [Mandela] will survive after he was very sick, I told him he is Madiba, he will recover and indeed the next day he recovered.”
Ramlakan has just published a book titled Mandela’s Last Years, which narrates the former president’s final journey.
He, however, said that on December 5 2013 they decided as a medical team to phone his family because they had realised Mandela seemed different and was no longer fighting.
Ramlakan said they made a call in the morning to his eldest daughter Makaziwe and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela to inform them he could die at any time.
He said Mandela’s wife Graca Machel was in the house and was also informed. “Everyone wanted Madiba to live forever. He was sick and had started to improve, but the incident that proved the final stage was not expected. “That was the day of profound sadness in my life. We are not allowed to show emotions as doctors, but that moment was different because I had been with him for almost four decades.”
Ramlakan served time on Robben Island when Mandela was a prisoner there.
He said even MadikizelaMandela did not expect he would die.
He said Mandela had lost his voice in the last six months of his life, but he could move his hands, see people and was aware of what was happening.
However, on June 8 2013 he underwent several procedures and they witnessed a medical miracle when he survived. “We were astounded, but the end came in an unexpected way.”
He recalled how Mandela mentored him politically, and gave him courage and joy in life. He said the decision to document his final journey was agreed with the family after they called the medical team to thank them.
“We agreed that there have been rumours about his health and speculations. So we agreed that we must set the record straight and agreed we must write a book about his medical history.”
‘‘ That was the day of profound sadness in my life