U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama paid a visit to former South African President Nelson Mandela on Tuesday, kicking off her own symbolic trip to Africa by meeting one of the continent's most revered leaders, according to Reuters. Obama, accompanied by her mother and two daughters, visited the 92-year-old anti-apartheid icon at his home in Johannesburg's Houghton suburb. Pictures released by the Nelson Mandela Foundation showed a smiling Mandela sitting upright on a couch next to the U.S. first lady and her children. He was dressed in a brightly colored shirt -- known in South Africa as a "Madiba shirt" after his clan name used by most South Africans. The meeting, which included Obama's niece and nephew who are also travelling with her, lasted about 20 minutes. Mandela has not been seen in public since he was hospitalized at the start of the year, suffering from a respiratory disease. He paid a visit to his home village in May, the first since he spent several days in hospital in January. Since then he has received medical care at his Houghton home. -- SPA
