Tutu readmitted to hospital: family

South African retired archbishop and anti-apartheid icon Desmond Tutu was today readmitted to hospital in Cape Town just days after being discharged following surgery, his family said.

Tutu, 84, underwent a "minor surgical procedure" last week to determine the cause of a "recurring infection".

He was discharged Wednesday, but was hospitalised again three days later.

"The Archbishop was readmitted on Saturday as a precaution after his surgical wound had shown signs of infection," said a statement by his family.

His wife Leah Tutu said she was "very grateful for the ongoing prayers and support".

The Nobel Peace laureate was last year hospitalised over a persistent infection which was a result of the prostate cancer treatment he has been receiving for nearly 20 years.
 

The much-loved former archbishop of Cape Town gained worldwide prominence for his strong opposition to white-minority rule in South Africa.

He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.