Former anti-apartheid cleric Dr Beyers Naude was in a critical condition in the frail care unit of a retirement village in Johannesburg on Monday.
”My father is very ill due to his age. We don’t know what to expect,” said Naude’s eldest son, Johann, on Monday.
”His health at the moment is very frail and naturally we can see his condition deteriorating.”
He said his father was being monitored by doctors, and would be sedated when necessary, but was not in a coma.
”My father was taken to the hospital last week as he suffered from blood circulation problems, but doctors said it was due to his age and condition. He has been very frail for the last six months.”
Doctors have requested the public not to visit the 89-year-old Naude.
Johann Naude said his family was ”expecting the worst” outcome.
”Unfortunately, you sometimes reach a stage when you even have the will to live, but your body cannot cope any longer,” Naude said.
The chief executive officer of the Rhema Church in Randburg, Carl Niehaus, said: ”Dr Naude is a very ill man and his health is such that no one but his family is able to be with him.”
Niehaus said Naude was unable to ”communicate with anyone most of the time”.
”It’s a question of waiting to see how his health develops over the next few days…”
Andre Bartlett, chairperson of the Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk Aasvoelkop in Northcliff, Johannesburg, said Naude was being made ”as comfortable as possible”.
Naude has a 91-year-old wife, Ilse, and four children. – Sapa