MBOMBELA – The secrecy surrounding the health of Mpumalanga premier, Mr David Mabuza, continues.
Today marks the 37th day of Mabuza’s official sick leave, “on doctor’s orders” for his “fatigue”, according to his office.
Both his office and the ANC have failed to respond to enquiries about his condition for longer than a week.
But a reliable source has confirmed that Mabuza had recently fallen and hit his head. As a result he has been receiving treatment in a Gauteng hospital ever since.
Sources say that he was treated by paramedics on the scene after falling over during his birthday celebrations at the end of August. A week later, Lowvelderreported that Mabuza had taken ill.
He was treated at Mediclinic Nelspruit and referred to the hospital in Gauteng. The next day, on September 9, Mr Vusi Shongwe was sworn in as acting premier.
Ever since, his condition has been kept under wraps. Aside from denying that Mabuza had collapsed, that he was confused and that he had died almost two weeks ago, the Office of the Premier has been keeping mum on the matter.
Yesterday the premier’s spokesman, Mr Zibonele Mncwango referred the newspaper back to their responses from two weeks ago, in which they said his treatment and condition was confidential.
“The premier is recuperating steadily,” he said. “He is looking forward to being bakc in the office in order to continue his responsibilities as premier, provincial chairman of the ANC in Mpumalanga, and the founder of the DD Mabuza Foundation.”
Mncwango added that the premier’s interview on Ligwalagwala FM on September 30, wherein he assured the public he was fine, was conducted live.
He would not say whether Mabuza was being treated in the psychiatric unit or a normal medical ward, whether he had suffered a stroke, what his current condition is, what treatment he is receiving, or when he is expected back at work.
The official opposition in the Mpumalanga Legislature has since also expressed its dissatisfaction with being kept in the dark. In a statement over the weekend, Mr James Masango, the DA’a provincial leader, wished the premier well.
However he added that MPLs have had no official communication about his situation, despite two of Mabuza’s scheduled appearances in the legislature being cancelled.
“The Speaker, Ms Thandi Shongwe, is yet to give any official explanation as to why the premier has failed to perform his parliamentary duties for almost two months. We read about his health condition through the media, rather than hearing it in the legislature.
“Surely the Speaker, as the head of the house, should inform the members on such an important development, yet Shongwe does not.”
Masango says the public needed answers on Mabuza’s capacity to remain premier of Mpumalanga, and when he was expected to fulfil his parliamentary duties. Mncwango did not say whether the Office of the Premier disagreed that the public has a right to know the premier’s condition.
