20110128
Xinhua
JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- After days of speculation about the health South Africa's iconic former President Nelson Mandela, the country's Vice President Kgalema Motlanthe told reporters on Friday that Mandela is well.

Meanwhile, the country's surgeon general said the former leader has been discharged from the hospital after being treated for an acute respiratory infection.

Mandela, 92, South Africa's first democratically elected president, was admitted to Johannesburg's Milpark Hospital on Wednesday, sparking a barrage of international media attention.

Following a shortage of official information which fueled rumors about Mandela's health, Motlanthe has told the South African Broadcasting Corporation on Thursday that the elder statesman was "alive and kicking".

In an official statement early on Friday morning, Motlanthe confirmed that Mandela is in Milpark Hospital undergoing a few specialised tests and investigations.

He said that given Mandela's medical history, the former president's health over the last few years and his age, these tests are necessary in order to provide optimal health care.

"Medically there is no need to panic. Mandela suffers from ailment common to people of his age, and conditions that have developed over years."