Nelson Mandela remains in critical condition in hospital this morning as his daughter said the family will let God decide when it is time for him to go.

The 94-year-old former South African president suffered a sudden deterioration in his health last night after being admitted to hospital two weeks ago for treatment for a recurrent lung infection.

It is not known whether Mandela is on life-support - only that he is in a 'critical condition'.

But his eldest daughter Makaziwe Mandela has revealed the family will not end his medical treatment and only God can decide when his time has come to die.

She said: 'In our culture, the Tembu culture, that I know, the African culture that I know you never release the person unless the person has told you please my children, my family release me.

'My dad hasn’t said that to us. So these people who want to talk about, you know, release him, he hasn’t said we should release him and we haven’t come to the end yet. It is only God who knows the end.'

In an interview with CNN, she added that she believed her father, who she said can still open his eyes, was at peace. She said: 'Yes, I believe he is at peace. He is at peace with himself. He has given so much to the world I believe he is at peace.'

His granddaughter Ndileka Mandela added: 'He's fighting spirit is what amazes me. I don't know what keeps him fighting and he is stoic and determined, that I will end things my way. Not any other person's way.

'I strongly feel that whatever covenant he has made with his ancestors and god has not been fulfilled, when that is fulfilled he will bow out in a way that he chooses.'