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American Morning

Former South African President Nelson Mandela Begins Treatment for Prostate Cancer

Aired July 24, 2001 - 10:06   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The former South African President Nelson Mandela begins treatment today for prostate cancer. The 83- year-old Mandela will undergo daily radio therapy treatment for the next seven weeks. Doctors say the cancer and its treatment should not reduce his life span and will likely not impact his work on his memoirs. Mandela spent 27 years in apartheid prisons before being released and leading South Africa white minority rule to full democracy.

Joining us on the phone, from Johannesburg, is CNN's bureau chief Charlayne Hunter-Gault.

Charlayne, good morning or good afternoon to you.

CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT, CNN JOHANNESBURG BUREAU CHIEF: It's morning to you, afternoon for me.

NELSON: You spoke to Nelson Mandela on Friday, when you both attended an event together. How is the former president feeling, and how do you think he's taking the news of this cancer?

HUNTER-GAULT: Well, he seemed to be feeling wonderful. He spoke at this event for a man who was a political activist who went to Robben Island Jail when he was 14 years old, and Mandela started by saying he didn't know that there were going to be jail birds, criminals, and agitators at this dinner; otherwise, he never would have showed up. Of course, that brought the house down.

And he went on to make a few jokes, talking about how he had put the arm on all these people who want to honor him by telling them, OK, if you want to honor me, you can build some schools.

But this man just doesn't stop. In fact, when he came into the hall, I was outside, and he saw me, and he called me over. And of course, he had just had his 83rd birthday two days before; they had done a program on telephone. I was very up close, and I gave him a kiss on the cheek, and I said happy birthday two days late.

And he says, Thank you, thank you, thank you very much.

He was energetic. He told the people he was sorry he couldn't stay too long at dinner, because he had started his day at 7:00 a.m., as he usually does. He says it's a habit he developed in prison of getting up very early, so he was only going to speak and leave, but he wanted them all to know it was not because he was tired, but had been up a very long time.

In fact, in today's paper, there is a picture of him getting off an airplane in Arusha, Tanzania, where he was yesterday, participating in the 15th Burundi Peace Summit. He's the facilitator in trying to bring peace to Burundi, and he's made quite a few advances in that regard. There is no indication that he is not feeling well. He walks very slowly because of problems with his legs and feet, but that's been going on now for quite a long time.

NELSON: Charlayne, is it fair to say that this man who has survived all these years in apartheid prisons will have no trouble overcoming this cancer?

HUNTER-GAULT: His doctors say that this is not life threatening, that they expect him to maintain his schedule as usual, which probably would make someone half his age and not with the same health problems that he has totally exhausted, because he's always in motion. I think he's going to be that way until he isn't that way anymore. But he certainly is still as dynamic as he ever was, and he and his doctors say he is not going to have to amend his schedule.

NELSON: That's good news. We wish him well.

And we thank you, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, reporting to us from Johannesburg -- thank you.

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