Nothing untoward about David Mabuza’s Russia trip- deputy president’s office
Deputy President David Mabuza’s office has confirmed that he travelled to Russia for a medical check-up but there is nothing untoward about his trip.
Mabuza took sick leave last month and was out of the public eye for three weeks but his office says the deputy president was only in Russia for a week.
The Sunday Times reported that Mabuza was undergoing treatment in Russia last week for health problems arising from an alleged poisoning incident three years ago.
Mabuza’s spokesperson Thami Ngwenya says that even though the deputy president was on sick leave, he isn’t ill.
“At no point in our statement did we say that the Deputy president is ill. There’s a difference in there. We said he was on sick leave, so he was attending to his medical health. But to say he’s gravely ill and sick, those are two different things.”
Ngwenya says he is unaware of claims made by a senior African National Congress member who told the paper that Mabuza allegedly does not trust South African doctors.
Ngwenya says Mabuza is back in the country and will return to work soon.