A frail-looking Mandela stared into the distance, while his face looked indifferent to the comrades that surrounded him – a picture quite contradictory to the sentiments expressed by President Jacob Zuma.
"We had some conversation with him, shook hands, he was smiling," Zuma told the SABC. "He's really up and about, [and] stabilised. We are very happy, we think he is fine."
The comments and footage sparked fury and outrage on Twitter as it was evident to many viewers that this in fact was not the case. The banter and laughter from visiting politicians, including ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa, party chairperson Baleka Mbete and Mandela's medical, team seemed slightly out of place and provoked criticism from the South African governement as well as the public.
The ANC has previously been called to task for being secretive about the former president's health, but it seems like the public thought an exploitative video showing a drained Madiba propped up on an armchair was insensitive and unnecessary.
Here is what some had to say on Twitter.
A rogue SABC account, whose Twitter bio claims they are "Your National Broadcaster – Uncut, Unedited, Unashamed", tweeted this
Many were outraged at the thought that the ANC may have initiated the "invasion" as a cheap shot toward publicity and thoughts of using Mandela as a mascot contributed to the public's angered reaction.
However, there were those who came to the defence of Zuma and the ANC saying they appreciated being able to see Madiba again after nearly nine months without public appearance.
See the footage here and share your opinion with us on Twitter: @mailandguardian. Use the tag: #MGMadiba.