Mandela: South African President Cancels Trip

President Jacob Zuma has cancelled a trip to Mozambique, as the goverment says Nelson Mandela's condition "remains critical".

Mr Zuma decided to stay in South Africa after visiting Mr Mandela in hospital where he "found him to be still in a critical condition", according to a statement from the President's office.

The announcement comes after sources confirmed to Sky News that Mr Mandela was no longer able to breathe unassisted.

The 94-year-old anti-apartheid leader was taken to a Pretoria hospital with a recurring lung infection on June 8, where he has now been treated for 19 days.

The cancellation of the trip to Mozambique, which was scheduled for today, is the first time Mr Zuma has scrapped a public engagement during that time.

People bring get well messages to Mr Mandela

Stuart Ramsay, Sky News' Chief Correspondent, who is in South Africa, said: "Nelson Mandela's tribal leaders have been told to prepare for the death of the former president, who remains in hospital unable to breathe without support.

"The advice comes after meetings with the family over the past two days.

"Senior tribal leaders - including Mr Mandela's tribal heir, grandson Mandla Mandela - were expected to visit the hospital for further talks with family members.

"In the Eastern Cape, where Mr Mandela will be buried, a member of the tribal authority confirmed that the clan had been told that he is extremely ill and although it is against Xhosa tradition to even discuss the death of a living person, they should prepare for the worst."

The statement from the president's office said that Mr Zuma was briefed on Mr Mandela's condition by the doctors treating him.

The Obama family arrives in Senegal on their Africa tour on Wednesday

Speaking earlier in the week Mr Zuma said: "We must support him and support his family.

"We must demonstrate our love and appreciation for his leadership during the struggle for liberation and in our first few years of freedom and democracy by living out his legacy and promoting unity, non-racialism, non-sexism and prosperity in our country."

US President Barack Obama arrived in Senegal on Wednesday to begin his first significant tour of Africa, during which he had planned to visit South Africa.

Michelle Obama and her daughters met Mr Mandela during a trip in 2011

The White House has said that it will defer to Mandela's family over whether the President would visit his political hero in hospital.

However, South Africa's foreign minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said that a meeting with the former South African leader would be impossible.

The two men met in 2005 when Mr Obama was a newly elected senator and  the former South African president was in Washington and have spoken by telephone since.

They have not met in person since then, although Michelle Obama met with Mr Mandela during a trip in 2011.

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