Mandela comfortable and in good care: Presidency

President Jacob Zuma visited former president Nelson Mandela in hospital on Sunday and found him "comfortable, and in good care", the presidency said.

Presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said in a statement that Mandela was admitted to the hospital, in Pretoria, on Saturday for "medical attention"

He said Zuma visited Mandela on Sunday morning.

In a statement on Saturday, Maharaj said Mandela had been admitted "to undergo tests".

"As said before, former president Mandela will receive medical attention from time to time which is consistent with his age," Maharaj said at the time. He said there was no cause for alarm.

On Sunday Maharaj again appealed to the media and to the public to respect the privacy of Mandela and his family.

AP reported that worshipers gathered at the Regina Mundi Catholic church in the Soweto area of Johannesburg to pray for the frail 94-year-old icon. The church was a centre of anti-apartheid protests and funerals.

However, it has been reported that Mandela's hospitalisation has left many of his associates in the dark.

Nelson Mandela Foundation spokesman Sello Hatang told City Press he was unaware of Mandela's admission to a hospital in Pretoria for tests on Saturday.

"They have issued a press release?" he asked.

Mandela's ex-wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, was also not made been aware of the hospitalisation, United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa told the newspaper. They had attended a soccer match together.

Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe was to have visited Mandela in Qunu, in the Eastern Cape, but the visit was cancelled at the last minute, according to the Sunday Times.

"City Press further understands that the airplane that was supposed to carry Motlanthe to Qunu was reassigned to fly medical personnel to attend to Mandela," the newspaper wrote.

An SA National Defence Force (SANDF) aircraft crashed in the Drakensberg in bad weather last week.

According to Beeld newspaper, the flight had gone ahead despite the weather, because it was carrying medicine for Mandela.

The SA Air Force has denied the claims.

The presidency said on Sunday it would issue periodic updates on Mandela's condition.