The former mayor of the City of Johannesburg Mpho Moerane has since died after suffering serious injuries from a car accident.
At a media briefing yesterday the ANC and Moerane's family announced that doctors had done all they could for Moerane but he had failed to come out of a coma.
The Star understands that the former mayor had been on life support machines for some time and had not regained consciousness.
The Star understands that his family had been advised by the experienced medical team treating Moerane that there was nothing else they could do for him.
Top ANC leaders had been seen at the hospital including former ANC spokesperson Keith Khoza and the former mayor of Ekurhuleni Mzwandile Masina. Some media houses had announced as early as Tuesday that Moerane had died.
According to Moerane's family his accident was caused by a rock that he drove into on Bowling Avenue. He was on his way home from a meeting at his home in Bryanston when his car careened across a rock.
The family denied that there was any foul play related to Moerane's accident. There had been murmurings of witchcraft among some members of the ANC Joburg region. Some rumours also claimed that Moerane's car had been tampered with. But all of this has been dismissed by his family.
Family spokesperson Mike Maile said he was disappointed to learn of the pronouncement with the conduct of some staff members at the Milpark hospital, He blamed them for leaking information to the media.
"Its very difficult for the family and messages of support should be sent to the family,," Maile said.
Moerane was expected to contest for the mayoral candidate position against Dada Morero in the upcoming ANC regional conference which will be held at the end of the month, His supporters were hopeful that he would make it out of hospital to contest against Morero.
Before his death Moerane was hopeful that he would come back as mayor of the city once more after serving as the city's number one citizen for a few weeks before the local government elections last year. The multi party coalition led by the DA had since taken over governance of Mother city.