MBOMBELA – The storm around the absenteeism of the premier, Mr David Mabuza doesn’t want to subside and yesterday, acting premier Mr Vusi Shongwe, reassured the people of Mpumalanga that Mabuza was expected to return to his post within the next two weeks.
This came after the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) demanded Mabuza’s head during a legislature sitting on Tuesday.
The premier has been on official sick leave for 40 days, with community safety, security and liaison MEC Shongwe acting on his behalf. Speculation about his condition has been rife, compelling the executive council to offer Mpumalanga citizens its assurances yesterday.
“I doubt he will go beyond two weeks before coming back,” Shongwe said. “In confidence I can tell the people of the province not to worry, the premier is fine, he is going to resume his duties in the near future.”
He added that they could rest assured and hold him accountable on that statement.
The EFF stole the spotlight at a sitting of the provincial legislature when it tabled a motion that a new premier had to be elected.
“The province can’t afford to operate with an acting premier for such a long time and as oral replies by the premier to questions asked by members have been outstanding for quite a long time now,” the motion read.
The EFF’s motion to elect a new premier was defeated by the house, but this did not stop the EFF from submitting a notice of motion that it debate the rules, governing the replacement of premiers, at its next sitting.
In his preamble, provincial party leader Mr Collen Sedibe said Mabuza has demonstrated an “inability to perform his functions”.
Due to Mabuza’s indefinite leave for fatigue, legislature sessions where he was supposed to answer questions, had been cancelled.
Speaker Ms Thandi Shongwe said she would allow Sedibe to table his notice of motion if he omitted any mention of Mabuza. “We have never debated a member since 1994. In terms of the preamble (about the premier) I will not include that.”
But a debate ensued nonetheless. ANC MPL Mr Victor Windvoël called the motion “inhuman opportunism”.
Sedibe continued to argue about the rules on acting premiers. The Speaker eventually had to yell to be heard, “We have a premier in the house that has been sworn in”.
She ruled that the rules in the constitution (which dictate how a premier can be replaced) be debated at the next sitting.
Bushbuckridge Residents Association MPL Mr Cleopas Maunye pointed out that the motion was not supposed to be debated on Tuesday.
“EFF MPL Sedibe has a right to table a notice of motion. If and when it is tabled, it must then be debated.”
During his press briefing yesterday, the acting premier said he was in constant communication with Mabuza, and that he was “fine”.
“In the eyes of myself as an ordinary person I would say he could come back tomorrow. But his doctors have been clear that nobody but themselves will clear the premier to resume his duties.”
He added, “The only wrong thing… which we condemn… is the so-called hoax messages declaring that the premier is no more. It puts a strain on government and on his family and everyone who loves him. If you declare someone dead, without verification, it means you have a political agenda.”
Lowvelder asked an independent psychiatrist, who wanted to remain anonymous for professional reasons, about the treatment of fatigue and burnout. He said there had been an increase in cases of fatigue over the past few months.
“Burnout is not an acute condition which requires actual hospitalisation. In other words, your life does not (necessarily) depend on it.”
Treatment is typically handled by a team ranging from psychiatrists to internists. The duration of hospitalisation depends on how early the patient is diagnosed as there are different phases.
“Some seek help earlier, others push on to the point of a breakdown.
“But, medical-aid schemes pay for only 21 days’ hospitalisation in a psychiatric unit. However, this does not mean that patients are ready to return to work after 21 days. Currently I have one who has been on sick leave for two years due to burnout, and he still can’t get out of bed in the morning.”
He said he knew of patients who took five years to recover.
