South African politician tests positive for COVID-19 for 2nd time

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - A prominent South African politician, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, has tested positive for COVID-19 for a second time, his family said on Monday.

Buthelezi 93, is the founder of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and is also the traditional prime minister of the Zulu monarch, the country’s largest ethnic group.

“We are pleased to say that, as with his first bout in August last year, he remains relatively asymptomatic and in good spirits,” the family said in a statement.

The statement said that the politician has been fully vaccinated and is currently under self-isolation where he will be monitored by what it described as “a very capable team”.

“We urge everyone to be circumspect in this time of increasing infections and to vigilantly take the necessary precautions to protect both lives and livelihoods,’’ the family said.

- Ministers test positive

Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu and Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi also tested positive for COVID-19 last month.

Last weekend, Dewa Mavhinga, Southern Africa director at Human Rights Watch, succumbed to a COVID-19-related illness.

“We have lost a true gem, a treasure of a person and colleague. We’re devastated by Dewa’s passing,” Human Rights Watch said in a statement.

Coronavirus infections have more than doubled in South Africa currently hit by a fourth wave of COVID-19 infections driven by the new omicron variant.

Last Friday, Health Minister Joe Phaahla said at a news briefing that hospitalization cases have increased for children under five years in the fourth wave.

The National Institute of Communicable Diseases announced on Sunday it has detected 11,125 new cases bringing the total number of confirmed cases to more than 3 million.

This increase represents a 23.8% positivity rate. The country has lost 89,966 people to the pandemic to date.