Mpumalanga social development MEC Thandi Shongwe has become the fourth member of the provincial executive council (PEC) to test positive for the coronavirus.
Shongwe’s office said she went to a scheduled eye procedure in hospital on October 7, and had to undergo a mandatory Covid-19 test. The result came out positive for the virus.
Shongwe is the fourth member of the PEC to test positive in the past two weeks. Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, finance MEC Pat Ngomane and community safety, security and liaison MEC Gabisile Shabalala tested positive last week. In May, public works, roads and transport MEC Gillion Mashego also tested positive but he has recovered.
“The MEC for social development in Mpumalanga province, Ms Blessing Thandi Shongwe [MPL] has tested positive for Covid-19. The MEC went for mandatory Covid-19 testing on October 7 2020 as required by the current hospital admissions policy, as she was supposed to undergo a scheduled eye procedure.
MEC Shongwe is currently in self-isolation and will continue to work from home,” said Shongwe's spokesperson Comfort Ngobe.
Shongwe, who was at court for the rape case against a former MEC and his stepson, left the court at midday on Wednesday.
“The MEC remains in high spirits and confident that she will defeat the virus as she has not shown any Covid-19 symptoms,” said Ngobe.
Since the start of the pandemic the province has had 27,705 positive cases, while 26,492 people have recovered. There are 647 active cases and 566 people have succumbed to the illness.
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