When God is ready for him nothing can hold him back, not even the greatest technology in the world. So those around him should enjoyhis presence while he is still around.

he should be given a maiden to keep him warm, just like king David

Let us pray that God's will be done.Mandela is a great statesman and God will award him abundantly.I still. remember vividly how during my college days in the sixties we demonstrated for his release from jail by the apartheid regime.But it took three decades before he could gain freedom

a guy like this for a friend? i would rather live among enemies

Andrew Mlangeni is just a selfish old dude, who somehow feels jealous he never got the same publicity and political stature Madiba has enjoyed. God knows when He will call Mandela to rest, not unless Mlangeni has other plans.

I agree. I know people who ail but live past 100. What makes this man imagine an ailing 94 year old must of necessity pass away? Why not let nature take its course? What if Madiba himself wants to go on living? What he deserves is the best medical care and no further unwanted comments from 'friends' like this one.

He is a blessing to the entire human race we are all privileged to have lived in the era of a true selfless man who put his people first even before family.May God,s will be done.

may God do his will with him

Has anyone led him to Christ? Or is he already born again?

Yes mandela should know Jesus in his sunset days. there is nothing more he can do.What are the churches doing on this?. they should lead him to Christ.

Release him.

Andrew is out of order. Why should he preach euthanasia or negligence to the Mandela family?

What has a begening must have an end.

A Heroe, Idol n leader!!! We shall neva Forget u!!!! God bless

Mandela's friend is 87 and he must be knowing what he is saying. Here or hereafter what Mandela was and is will be remembered for ages.He will leave this world like all of us so let us surrender to outcomes and hope that we shall also leave this world having touched some one in such a profound way like Mandela did to so many of us.

What do they mean by let him go? are they suggesting a medically induced death??

I don't think so. It is to release him in their hearts. I once visited a very sick family friend and stood vigil by the bedside as the family 'let her go'; it is heartbreaking, but its also a relieve to just say 'it's ok. I release you to go". And going she did... as we watched.

Assisted suicide is illegal in SA, so that's out of question.

Such a rich legacy, not every person gets to live and attain what Mandela has accomplished. Unlike african leaders who amass wealth, personalizing national assets and resources, impoverishing their subjects, dying in office, Mandela is peculiar, the best role model to a young aspiring leader, globally. A true father of the African continent. Long live Madiba. Amanda.

Well said. Ohhhhhh poor African leaders, who will emulate Madiba?

this statement from a friend is not well thought . if Mandela was in a comma illness this could be the right thing to say . this one is not appropriate

Having nursed the elderly population in north america for sometime now, I will say that there is such a thing as hindering natural death from happening. with all the technology that is available today, people use all sorts of means to sustain life but forget about the quality of life. This includes like mentioned aggressive antibiotic treatment, oxygen therapy, intravenous nutrition aka TPN, dialysis,assisted breathing and other life support equipment. Being a former president am sure the resources and technology used on Mandela is probably all the above. It prolongs life but it also in my opinion lengthens suffering. Its important to put yourself in the patients shoe and think about what you would like done to you were you in that position (empathise). Would you like to wake up every morning cant do anything for yourself, wait for someone to get you out of bed, change your diaper, feed you, take you outside for some air after giving you a handful of medications and not be able to do anything of what you loved to do. In my mind that is being imprisoned in ones body. We in the name of love want to hang on to loved ones as long as possible but I think sometimes its for selfish reasons. If you love someone so much you do want them to suffer. We will all die and i think thats what this article is about when we come to this realization that you are accepting death as a way to end the suffering you are then considered to be freeing somebody. You count your blessings and you thank God for the days you share with that loved one and then you LET IT BE.

Well. You could have a point. But who wants to see his/her loved one go?

Mom is 97 years old and we spoon feed her. We feel good, her in our presence and her smile lightens everybody's day including her care giver who also have a job . Let God take Mandela if he so wants and leave his family alone! As for us we will take care of mother until Gods says,"GUYS, its my time with your mom".

Yes that's it

Its only god who knows the time and the hour

with friends like this, surely, you dont need an enemy

let him go

Good men must die but their legacy will never die

How's the family holding on him?

God Bless Mandela.

He's arguably the greatest statesman alive today; a life filled with
accomplishments; they are right, it is time to let him go. He's had 94
amazing years, let him rest.

I agree...please let the old man go in peace....

If the old man goes on to live it shall be well, it would be nice to have around much longer. If his time has come it shall be well too, he has fought many a battle. May God's will be done

Yes, Mandela's time has come but he has refused to die. there is a reason for that. So let him be

We will not deliberately fight fate but should not let fate deliberately fight us. Mandela shall live to be 100 years and beyond.

If God has given you 70 years, count it as a blessing. any additional year(s) ahead shall be counted as a bonus. Use those year(s) wisely as you plan a humble exit.

is euthanasia legal in SA?

"We wish Madiba a speedy recovery, but I think what is important is that
his family must release him," long-time friend Andrew Mlangeni, 87.

This is the main line in the story. It summarizes the deep rooted African beliefs on the inter-connectedness of life. My grandfather died at 118 (officially though he claimed he was much older than that!). He reached a time in his frailty that he gathered the relatives and requested to be allowed to "join the ancestors". This did no refer to euthanasia, but to acceptance that he had to change his address. Our failure to do this was holding him back, prolonging his suffering. We accepted and he left.

Woa! Fantastic change of address...now that another one to remember really something and yes its about that kinda thinking however some may consider this kind of thinking very taboo and offensive hope they figure it!

I think letting go means, no more aggressive treatment like antibiotics that may have nasty side effects( and to a 94 year old???). They may prolong your life while you are struggling and suffering like he has been the last six months. So sometimes family may agree with the doctors to just keep him comfortable and free of pain until his time comes. Thinking n praying for you Madiba.

Who has the power to decide when it's time to go? No one has prevented anything from happening apart from attending to the needs of an old sickly person, which is common to all men until they breathe their last not on their own volition, but on a higher powers one. Long live Madiba!!

its never gud to tell when one is 2 depart from us but when our creator decides so,then let his will be done

In old age and frailty, there's an age that once passed, say 90 or 100, the living must see past the love and emotion and release their aged ones to the almighty's hand. My grandmother lived to 101, and as such after paying one last visit to her, saw her condition and 'released' her. She passed the next morning. Life continues when all is said and done, as some things are beyond human control.

what is the meaning of realising? God is the one who knows when he will call Madiba home. The family can release him but if God's time is not yet, he will not go. Lets not play God

Not playing God here at all. Releasing a person is basically letting go, understanding and acknowledging that the dying soul is about to depart and not look for alternatives when all avenues of survival are but closed. Releasing applies to the ones left, not the dying.

God gives life and its only Him to take it away

Mlangeni, what's wrong with you? Isn't that being too insensitive? Who are to decide when Madiba should die?

Only God decides, He gives life,people should grow up and come out of this stupidity of "release him"....who know how many days God has allocated for him?

Yes! He doesn't need to continue suffering! His time has come. Let him go peacefully!