Johannesburg - The President, Mr Nelson Mandela, this week embarked on an unscheduled 10-day holiday, cancelling all his appointments and leaving his state duties in the hands of his deputy, Mr Thabo Mbeki.
The holiday, in Maputo, where Ms Graca Machel, his wife of a few months lives, comes after fatigue forced Mr Mandela (80) to cancel several appointments during a visit to Canada last week.