Gates on the mend after accident in SA

Bill Gates, Microsoft boss and the richest man in the US.

Bill Gates, Microsoft boss and the richest man in the US.

Published Dec 28, 2012

Share

Cape Town -

Bill Gates, Microsoft boss and the richest man in the US, is back at work after a sandboarding accident in Cape Town.

Gates, 57, was admitted to hospital on Thursday last week after dislocating his shoulder during a day out with his family in the sand dunes near Atlantis.

The Gates family, who live in Seattle, were holidaying in Cape Town.

A family spokesperson said Gates had received treatment at a local hospital.

“Bill Gates received treatment for a shoulder injury at Netcare Blaauwberg Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, on Thursday, December 20th, after taking a fall while sandboarding at a local tourist area during a family vacation. Local doctors treated and released him. Bill is continuing with his planned activities.”

The city’s disaster risk management spokesman Wilfred Solomons-Johannes confirmed that Gates had dislocated a shoulder.

He said Gates had left Cape Town a week ago, the day after the accident.

Gates’ wife, Melinda, posted a photograph on her Twitter account on the day of the accident. The photograph was of the couple shaking hands and chatting with Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. It had apparently been taken at the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation Youth Centre in Masiphumelele.

“Fantastic visit with @desmond_tutu at his Youth Center this week in South Africa--his joy is visible and contagious,” she tweeted.

The Cape Times contacted a number of sandboarding companies based in Atlantis, all of which said Gates had not visited them.

Cape Times

Related Topics: