Minister Thulas Nxesi admitted to hospital over Covid-19

Minister of Employment and Labour Thulas Nxesi was last night admitted to hospital, Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu has announced.

“This is a week after he tested positive for coronavirus.

“He is the second member of Cabinet to be admitted to hospital after Minister (of Mineral Resources and Energy ) Gwede Mantashe.

“We wish both Minister Mantashe and Minister Nxesi a speedy recovery from this coronavirus,” Mthembu said.

Nxesi is also the fifth member of the executive to contract the coronavirus, following Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Minister Gwede Mantashe, Deputy Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu and Deputy Minister Nkosi Holomisa.

Mapisa-Nqakula and Holomisa have since recovered.

Mantashe and his wife, Nolwandle Mantashe, went into self-quarantine after testing positive for Covid-19 last week.

According to Cabinet Spokesperson Phumla Williams, Mantashe was admitted to hospital today on the advice of their family doctor for “better medical attention and monitoring, while Mrs Mantashe will continue to self-quarantine at their home”.

“We will continue to give the Mantashe family all the support they need during this time. We wish both Minister and Mrs Mantashe a speedy recovery from this invisible enemy and we are quite confident that they will emerge victorious against the coronavirus,” said Williams in a statement.

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