Two leading South Africans have called for an end to a bitter row among members of Nelson Mandela's family over the reburial of three of his children.
Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe said he hoped the public dispute could be resolved in a "dignified manner".
Archbishop Desmond Tutu pleaded with the family not to "besmirch" Mr Mandela's name with their squabble.
Mr Mandela, 94, has spent the past four weeks in a Pretoria hospital where he is said to be in a critical condition.
After visiting the anti-apartheid icon on Thursday, President Jacob Zuma issued a statement denying that he was in a vegetative state.
"A team of doctors, nurses, paramedics and other health professionals attend to Madiba on a 24-hour basis," it said, referring to Mr Mandela by his clan name.
"Madiba remains in a critical, but stable condition. The doctors deny that the former president is in a vegetative state."
With Evelyn Mase:
- Thembekile born 1945, died 1969
- Makaziwe born 1947, died aged nine months
- Makgatho born 1950, died 2005
- Makaziwe, born 1954
With Winnie Madikizela-Mandela:
- Zenani born 1959
- Zindziswa born 1960
The statement came after court papers filed on behalf of Mr Mandela's eldest daughter on 26 June said his health was "perilous" and that he was "assisted in breathing by a life-support machine", the AFP news agency reports.
Mr Mandela was admitted to hospital on 8 June with a recurring lung infection. His wife, Graca Machel, has said he is sometimes "uncomfortable, but he has never been in pain".
'Very sad'Correspondents say there has been a long-running battle over Mr Mandela's legacy, but that it has intensified as his health has deteriorated.
On Thursday, the bodies of three of his children were reburied in their original graves in the village of Qunu, where South Africa's first black president was brought up.
Earlier, forensic tests confirmed the identity of the bodies which had been exhumed by police from the homestead in the village of Mvezo owned by Mr Mandela's grandson, Mandla, following a court order.
An affidavit filed by Mandela family members, including his wife and his daughter Makaziwe, alleged that Mandla had relocated the graves in 2011 to ensure that his grandfather would be buried in Mvezo, in defiance of his wishes.
At a news conference, Mandla accused some of his relatives of washing their dirty linen in public and battling for control of his grandfather's assets.
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Mandla Mandela: "It seems like anyone and everyone can come and say 'I am a Mandela'"
"In the past few days, I have been the target of attacks from all sorts of individuals wanting a few minutes of fame and media attention at my expense," he said.
His family rivals were motivated by revenge as he had refused to support their legal case to oust three of Mr Mandela's aides from companies the ex-president had set up, Mandla added.
Later, Deputy President Motlanthe criticised the behaviour of Mr Mandela's family on a radio chat show in Johannesburg.
"It's all very sad, but we've got to continue keeping the family and Madiba in our prayers and hope, continue to hope, that Madiba will recover and also that the family will manage its own affairs in a dignified manner," he said.
Archbishop Tutu, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the struggle against white minority rule, appealed to the family to overcome their differences.
"Please, please, please may we think not only of ourselves? It's almost like spitting in Madiba's face," he said in a statement.
"Your anguish, now, is the nation's anguish - and the world's. We want to embrace you, to support you, to shine our love for Madiba through you. Please, may we not besmirch his name?"
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