MBOMBELA – The premier Mr David Mabuza is recuperating well after suffering a health scare earlier this week. His office has persistently denied rumours that he had collapsed on Monday.
According to his spokesman, Mr Zibonele Mncwango, Mabuza was examined at Mediclinic Nelspruit on Monday “over severe exhaustion”.
He says the premier was taken to Mediclinic Nelspruit “as a precautionary measure and it was suggested a second opinion be sought. This was achieved in Gauteng and we are pleased to confirm the premier is resting and recuperating well.”
Ms Robyn Baard, spokesman for Mediclinic Nelspruit confirmed that Mabuza had been referred to a hospital in Johannesburg for treatment. Mncwango says he is now recuperating at home.
He was initially supposed to be back at work on Thursday, when he would have answered questions during a sitting of the legislature in Nkomazi Municipality, as part of the Taking Legislature to the People programme. This has now been suspended, since doctors have ordered a longer sick leave.
Mr Vusi Shongwe, MEC for community safety, was sworn in as acting premier on Wednesday. His tenure is to continue until Friday of next week. Mabuza is expected back at his post on Saturday, September 19.
“The premier has taken leave to rest from work since he has not taken sufficient time off in the past five years in office,” Mncwango said in a statement.
“The past few months have been an extremely busy period for the premier and he has since been ordered to rest for a few days.”
He has made a number of investment-seeking trips abroad this year. Last week he also travelled extensively for the
DD Mabuza Foundation.
A reliable source has confirmed to the newspaper that Mabuza recently fell at a function and was attended to by paramedics.
“He is a workaholic,” Mncwango says. “His work schedule for the ANC is also going to get hectic.”
Mabuza is up for re-election as the provincial chairman of the ANC at its elective conference next month.
“We would like to assure the public that (he) is in good hands and that there is no need to panic,” Mncwango said.
“We humbly request that the honourable premier and his family be allowed the privacy and space to expedite the recovery and recuperation process.”
