MBOMBELA – His conspicuous absence from the public eye has set the nation’s imagination running wild.

This was exacerbated after Mabuza’s request to be excused from answering oral questions in front of the National Assembly.

A video began circulating on social media, purporting to show medical officers removing the deputy president’s
body, claiming that he had succumbed to Covid-19.

On Sunday Mabuza’s office denied the rumours. His spokesperson, Matshepo Seedat said,
“The healthcare of the president and the deputy president are the responsibility of the Healthcare Services of the South African National Defence Force.

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“Moreover, we appreciate and respect the public’s right to know the health status of their deputy president. While he has in the past, in parliament and in the media, been open about it and still is, we encourage South Africans to be more circumspect in returning the goodwill by respecting his right to privacy and dignity in so far as the nature of treatment and any other details are concerned”.

Regarding his absence from public life since the lockdown was instituted, Seedat continued, “The agenda to flatten the curve of infections is the responsibility of every South African, more so with lockdown regulations in place.
“The deputy president has a responsibility and an obligation to lead by example. If those in leadership cannot respect the laws they pass, why would South Africans be expected to abide by the same laws?”

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She commented that it was strange it would be considered unusual for Mabuza to be at home while South Africans were adhering to lockdown regulations.

Seedat dismissed suggestions that the deputy president had been keeping a low public profile since the
lockdown, adding that “all meetings of the executive are held through virtual platforms, and this applies to the deputy president as well”.

She mentioned his oversight visits to the Free State and North West provinces to gauge the two province’s Covid-19
readiness plans.

Although dates have not been set for the deputy president’s next appearance before the National Assembly and the
National Council of Provinces (NCOP), she said that these dates would be agreed on and decided by the offices of the
Speaker, the chairperson of the NCOP and that of the deputy president. This, she said, would be after the current constituency period from August 3 to 17.