‘I didn’t collapse at all’ – Ramaphosa dismisses ‘exaggerated’ ICU claims

President Cyril Ramaphosa has reassured South Africans that he is in perfect health as he leads the African National Congress’ (ANC) birthday celebration in Mpumalanga.

This after claims on social media that Ramaphosa fell ill on Sunday and was admitted to the Military Hospital in Pretoria.

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One of the social media accounts that shared the claims is under Economic Freedom Fighters’ leader Julius Malema’s name.

“Cyril was clearly not well before he collapsed earlier this morning,” posted the account on X on Sunday.

The party has since dismissed the account as fake.

Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya also shared on social media the president was in good health.

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“A malicious rumour has been doing the rounds about the President’s health and that he has been hospitalised. The President is fine, he was never hospitalised, and there was no emergency. He attended a meeting and decided to spend the rest of the day at home ahead of a busy week,” he said.

Ramaphosa ‘has no illness whatsoever’

Speaking at the Louwville Cemetery at the wreath-laying ceremony as part of ANC’s 112th birthday celebration on Monday morning, Ramaphosa dismissed the “exaggerated” claims he had been taken to the ICU.

“I had meetings, and then I continued working at home, clearly on the instructions of the officials, saying: ‘We want you to be well preserved because the next six days are going to be vigorous for you as president’,” Ramaphosa said.

“So the news of my illness and the news that I was in ICU are extremely exaggerated; I am fit as a fiddle, I had no illness whatsoever, I didn’t collapse, at all. You can see for yourself, this is not a fake Ramaphosa, not a double.”

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The ruling party is on Monday celebrating 112 years since its formation. The president, accompanied by the party’s NEC members, are in Mpumalanga laying wreaths at grave sites of struggle stalwarts and later, will have a luncheon with the families of the stalwarts at the Mbombela Stadium.