Mandela granddaughters star in reality TV show

Nelson Mandela's granddaughters are set to star in a reality television programme called Being Mandela.

Swati Dlamini and Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway say they have the former South African president's blessing.

The 13-episode series, already filmed, follows the two women as they try to promote the family's legacy while juggling motherhood in Johannesburg.

In interviews this week, they said their 94-year-old grandfather was doing well following his recent health scare.

They said he is "happy and healthy", and produced a photograph taken at the start of the month in which Mr Mandela holds his youngest great-grandchild - Zaziwe's one-year-old son - on his lap.

The Nobel Peace Prize-winning leader of the fight against white minority rule spent almost three weeks in hospital in December undergoing treatment for a lung infection and gallstones.

The two women, who spent much of their childhood in exile in the US, insist the programme will not damage the Mandela name.

"We get asked this question a lot. Is this not going to tarnish the name and is this not going to be bad for the name?" Swati said in an interview with the Associated Press.

"But our grandparents have always said to us, this is our name too, and we can do what we think is best fitting with the name, as long as we treat it with respect and integrity."