AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER
A South African cabinet minister who spent seven days in hospital after contracting COVID-19, has been discharged.
Thembelani “Thulas” Nxesi, the Minister of Employment and Labour, was released from hospital but will not go back to work, the government has announced, revealing that the minister had been confined to a public hospital.
“The Minister tested positive for COVID-19 on 17 July 2020 and went into self-quarantine. On 21 July 2020, Minister Nxesi was admitted to hospital for further medical attention and monitoring. Though he has been discharged from hospital, he will remain in self-quarantine until he fully recovers. The Minister, together with his family, have thanked all South Africans for the well wishes during his hospitalisation. We are also grateful that Minister Nxesi is now on his way to full recovery,” said government spokesperson, Phumla Williams.
Nxesi is among the six members of South African president Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet to have contracted COVID-19.
Other are:
- Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans.
- Gwede Mantashe, the Minister of Minerals Resources and Energy.
- Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, the Deputy Minister of Social Development
- Phathekile Holomisa, the Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour.
- Ebrahim Patel, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition