JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – South Africa's ailing former president Nelson Mandela has flown to his birthplace on his first trip outside his Johannesburg home since leaving hospital after a health scare in January.
"He's doing very well," said grandson Mandla Mandela from the family's home in Qunu village in the rural Eastern Cape where the anti-apartheid icon arrived on Sunday.
"I mean if he's able to fly from Joburg and come home, that can tell you that he is doing very well health-wise."
The frail 92-year-old, who has been receiving round-the-clock medical care, was "staying at home and seeing his family".
"It's always been great for us to have my grandfather home," Mandela told AFP.
"Qunu and this area of his early childhood is very close and dear to his heart. He's always feeling rejuvenated every time he comes home and we are very grateful and honoured that he's taken time to come back home and be with us."
The icon whose hospitalisation for an acute respiratory infection in January put the country on edge was in good spirits, he said.
"He's always in exceptional sense of humour and yesterday he continued telling us stories of his childhood in the area of Qunu and that of his birthplace in Mvezo," said Mandela.
Media reports said the leader had told his family last week that he wanted to go home, with his grandson not surprised by his decision to return to his family home where "his roots are allocated".
"This is his homestead, this is where he grew up and this is where he built his first home when coming out of prison so its not surprising that the man would want to go back to his house," he said.
Before his arrival, five aircraft including a military medical helicopter were seen at the rural Mthatha airport.
Mandela later arrived in a Boeing accompanied by his wife Graca Machel, the reports said. The elder statesman was then transferred by a specially designed wheelchair-lift truck to a waiting ambulance, according to The Times newspaper.
Those who saw Mandela said he appeared to be happy and chatted to youngsters, asking about their school progress, The Times reported.
A medical aircraft hovered above a 12-vehicle convoy as he was transported to his residence where he was welcomed home by his grandson and senior members from his clan.
"It's the first time he's come home since he's coming out of hospital," said Mandela, saying he did not know how long his grandfather would stay.
"It's up to him. It's his home so however long he wants to stay. We are just enjoying having him stay at home."
President Jacob Zuma's office on Monday said Mandela was spending time resting at in Qunu on "a normal scheduled visit".
"We are pleased that he is now well enough to travel," Zuma said, urging that Mandela's privacy was respected.
The iconic leader received two days of treatment in January which had the country on tenterhooks following a media blackout on his condition, which was initially said to be a "routine check-up".
Last week, he voted from home for local government elections for the first time in a special arrangement for the infirm.
Mandela was elected the country's first black president in South Africa's first all-race vote in 1994 and served one term before stepping down in 1999.
In the run-up to his 93rd birthday on July 18, his office established after he retired from public life in 2004 has called for the world to observe "Mandela Mondays" by doing volunteer work on Mondays.
In 2009, the United Nations declared July 18 Nelson Mandela International Day, on which the former president has urged people to do good deeds.
The Nobel Peace Prize winner was last seen in public at the closing ceremony of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Johannesburg in July 2010.
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