Nobel prizewinner and peace activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been admitted to hospital in Cape Town for "treatment to a recurring infection", according to a statement from his family.
The family said the 84-year-old archbishop went through a similar treatment last year. He is expected to remain in hospital for one or two weeks.
Tutu has wrestled with health problems for several years and is not in robust health. He underwent tests for a persistent infection in 2013 and is in long-term treatment for prostate cancer. However, he remains active in the causes to which he has given his life, notably the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation.
He is one of Africa's most respected clergy, having been honoured with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his part in helping end apartheid in South Africa. The country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, credited with helping smooth the transition to majority rule, was set up and chaired by him at the direction of then-President Nelson Mandela. Tutu's commitment to non-violence led him to criticise other leaders of the anti-apartheid movement, including the African National Congress. He is credited with coining the term "rainbow nation" to describe his country, a foundational image for post-apartheid South Africa.
Tutu's daughter, Rev Canon Mpho Tutu Van Furth, was forced last year to resign her licence to minister in the Anglican Church when she married her same-sex partner, Marceline Van Furth.
