Mandela 'making steady progress'

Former South African President Nelson Mandela has recovered from a lung infection and surgery to remove gallstones, the government said on Sunday.

"President Mandela has made steady progress and ... clinically, he continues to improve," the Office of the Presidency said in a statement, citing his medical team.

The 94-year-old was hospitalised for three weeks in December 2012 while he underwent treatment.

The former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela has made a full recovery from a lung infection which saw him hospitalised for three weeks, the South African government said.

The 94-year old had been receiving further treatment at home after becoming unwell in December 2012.

Nelson Mandela's granddaughters have denied claims on social media sites that the former president of South Africa has been released from hospital so he can die at home.

Zamaswazi Dlamini and Zaziwe Manaway said that the 95-year-old needs regular check ups because of his age and that he was still very active.

Footage courtesy CNN.

The former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela is "not yet fully recovered," a government spokesman has confirmed in a television interview.

Nelson Mandela has been allowed to return home after spending almost three weeks in hospital in Pretoria, South Africa.

He is staying at his Johannesburg residence rather than at his more remote country home.

ITV News' Africa Correspondent Rohit Kachroo has the latest from Johannesburg:

Nelson Mandela left hospital after almost three weeks of treatment for a lung infection and gallstones.

Despite the 94-year-old's health problems, his work to change South Africa is continuing through his family.

The former president set his grandson, Mandla Mandela, the task of transforming the tribal land in the Eastern Cape that he still calls home.

Nelson Mandela has been discharged from hospital in Pretoria.

Former South African president Nelson Mandela is "much better", the government says, as the Nobel laureate recovers in hospital after undergoing surgery.

The presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj said:

"President Jacob Zuma joined Graca Machel and members of the Mandela family in order to visit former president Mandela to wish him Happy Christmas in hospital in Pretoria this morning.

"President Zuma says he found him in good spirits.

"He shouted President Zuma's clan name 'aah Nxabalala' as he walked into the ward. He was happy to have visitors on this special day and according to President Zuma looking much better."

President Jacob Zuma and members of Nelson Mandela's family, including his wife Graca Machel, visited the former President in hospital this morning to wish him a happy Christmas.