MBOMBELA – The province will be fine, with or without Mabuza. This was the conclusion drawn by the premier himself, Mr David Mabuza, upon his return to work on Tuesday, after a sick-leave absence of 11 weeks.
Premier warmly welcomed by #ANC on return from sick leave. https://t.co/0TIXc6k2qq @LowveldMedia #DDisBack pic.twitter.com/V3T14ZpBvz
— Mireille de Villiers (@antwall85) November 17, 2015
He received a hero’s welcome by the ANC’s branches and affiliates at the legislature building, where he thanked supporters for their prayers, and warned that “the cat is back”.
He said he had been extremely ill. He had collapsed after his birthday party and spent two days in Mediclinic Nelspruit before being airlifted to Netcare Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg.
“My situation got worse and worse and worse. There was a time I could not walk, I could not talk, I could not eat, I could not do anything.”
He wanted a better hospital and was transferred to Little Company of Mary Hospital in Pretoria, where president Mr Jacob Zuma visited him and found him even better doctors.
After addressing the crowd, Mabuza had harsh criticism for the media.
“The life of a premier who is dying in hospital, what do you want there? You want to find something bad there. This person is sick! Why do you pry into the private life of the premier?
“I was in hospital, that is where they help people who are sick. Why do you follow me up to that point, where I am weak, lying in bed? What do you want to know?
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“I am aware that in the midst of all this there were mixed messages, that Mabuza is dead. What kind of a public keeps on probing, ‘We hear that Mabuza is dead’. We can’t hide this. If you’re dead you’re dead.
“It got me thinking there are people who hate themselves to that point of making other people believe that something has happened, knowing very well that something has not happened.
“Of course there are those people in the party who are saying they are annoyed by a third term and all that.”
The deputy president of the ANC Youth League (Ancyl) Mr Desmon Moela said in his welcome-back speech that they supported the decision.
“When we said third term, we were not confused, we were not drunk.” He added that MECs and heads of departments who had failed to deliver on promises made, “must fall”.
Mabuza said he was not dismissing a reshuffle of his cabinet. “I just arrived. I am not dismissing that it is not a thing I would do, but the acting premier must first give me his report.”
He concluded, “The Lord has given us another chance to live, so we are grateful.”
