[h=3]Nelson Mandela's 94th birthday celebration[/h]
JOHANNESBURG Former South Africa President Nelson Mandela was discharged from the hospital Wednesday, according to several reports.
Sources told CBS News he is returning to his Houghton home, where he will continue to receive medical care.
Officials had said the 94-year-old leader was improving in recent days since he was hospitalized on December 8. Mandela was diagnosed with a lung infection and underwent gallstone surgery.
Mandela, who battled apartheid before becoming the country's first democratic leader, has a history of lung problems. He suffered from tuberculosis towards the end of his 27-year prison term.
Mandela shared the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize with then-South African President F.W. DeKlerk for their work in steering the country toward democracy. Before he was elected president in 1994, Mandela was imprisoned for over three decades on sabotage and other crimes during his fight against apartheid.
After his five-year pesidency, Mandela devoted himself to fighting against poverty, illiteracy and AIDS in Africa. He has cut back his appearances in recent years due to his old age and has been spending more time with family
