NFP top brass in the dark over leader

NFP leader Zanele Magwaza Msibi Photo: Doctor Ngcobo

NFP leader Zanele Magwaza Msibi Photo: Doctor Ngcobo

Published Jan 15, 2015

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Durban - Ailing NFP leader Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi has not only vanished from the public eye, she has also disappeared from her party, say its senior leaders.

Party leaders, including its deputy president, Alex Kekana, national chairman Maliyakhe Shelembe and secretary-general Nhlanhla Khubisa, said they had neither seen nor spoken to the deputy minister of science and technology since she had collapsed and had been admitted to hospital in November.

Addressing a press briefing in Durban yesterday, the leaders told journalists how they had repeatedly failed to communicate with their president.

Although they did not blame anyone, they said her husband, Mandla Msibi, was blocking their attempts to visit her.

Shelembe said the party’s national executive committee last asked to visit KaMagwaza-Msibi on January 12.

“The advice from Msibi was positive, and he said: ‘Wait, I will come back to you,’” Shelembe said.

Since then they had not heard from him.

Kekana said since KaMagwaza-Msibi had “followed doctors’ orders” to take a break from her busy schedule, he had stepped in to lead the party.

On Wednesday emotions ran high when national executive committee members became annoyed with journalists who persistently questioned them about KaMagwaza-Msibi.

“Immediately after hearing that she had succumbed to fatigue and depression we met here, and even our deputy president flew all the way from North West,” Khubisa said.

“We met members of the family, and Msibi told us that she has been hospitalised. The provincial structures have met him from time to time. It is not like we have folded our arms just like that. We have been in constant contact with the family.”

Kekana said that according to Msibi, KaMagwaza-Msibi was recovering and was at home, although she continued to see her doctor.

Attempts to called her on her cellphone were unsuccessful.

KaMagwaza-Msibi collapsed in her Newcastle home in November as she was preparing to travel to Ulundi to attend a government function. The day before the incident she and Minister of Science and Technology Naledi Pandor had attended a departmental function in Ulundi.

KaMagwaza-Msibi’s spokesman Canaan Mdletshe said he had spoken to her a few days ago, but declined to reveal the content of their discussion.

“She is recovering very well. She is at home. She will return to work maybe next month to do minor duties until she is fully recovered,” he said.

He confirmed that party leaders had been prevented from communicating with her.

“Once they start visiting her or communicating with her, she might be tempted to return to work.

“You know that she is one of the hard-working leaders. She might want to be updated about the party and demand to return to work.”

The Mercury

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