From The Associated Press

Former South African President and anti-apartheid revolutionary hero Nelson Mandela died today at his Johannesburg home. He was 95.

He had returned home on Sept. 1 in a critical condition after being in a Pretoria hospital for almost three months –  the fourth time he had been admitted since December. He had battled a series of lung infections and respiratory illnesses in the past few years.

Mandela spent 27 years in prison after being found guilty of sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow his country’s government. He was released in 1990, and became South Africa’s first democratically elected president, holding office from 1994 to 1999.

One of the world’s most famous people, he has long been a figurehead for racial unification, following his efforts to heal his own country after centuries of division.

News of his death has prompted an outpouring of grief from all corners of the world.

Mandela had a history of lung problems, after falling ill with tuberculosis in 1988 toward the tail end of his prison term before his release and subsequent presidency.

While doctors said at the time the disease caused no permanent damage to his lungs, medical experts say tuberculosis can cause problems years later for those infected.

The Nobel laureate had an acute respiratory infection in January 2011.

Following the chaos that surrounded his stay at a public hospital then, the South African military took charge of his care and the government took over control of the information about his health. It released little information, mostly saying early in his last hospital stay that he was in a “serious but stable condition.” In late June it said he was “critical but stable.”  

In July the government denied that he was in a vegetative state after a lawyer for some of his family members told a court his life-support system should be shut off.

Read more at AP