Afrikaans Singer Mathys Roets’ Hospital Stay Extended After Surgery, Singer Hopes to Return to Stage

• Mathys Roets, 60, has been in a Pretoria hospital for five weeks after surgery linked to a wound caused by his wheelchair use
• The Afrikaans singer had hoped to be discharged soon, but doctors say he still cannot sit and needs more time to heal
• Despite the setback, Roets is targeting a return to the stage by December and has kept his spirits up with visits from friends

Afrikaans singer Mathys Roets is facing a prolonged recovery after undergoing reconstructive surgery to treat a serious wound that developed as a result of his wheelchair use. The 60-year-old musician has been hospitalised in Pretoria for five weeks and now expects to remain there for several more weeks beyond his initially hoped discharge date.

Roets, who has used a wheelchair since a motorcycle accident left him paralysed in 2009, first noticed the wound last year. He managed it with specialised plasters for a period, but the wound ultimately required surgery. Speaking to Maroela Media from his hospital bed, he explained that the early intervention actually worked in his favour.

Read also

I had my best friend's baby as a surrogate — Then rejected him after seeing his eyes

"Because we treated it with the plasters and I looked at it, I was able to go in for the surgery right away. That doesn't always happen. Some people have to be in the hospital for two or three weeks first, so they can clean the wound and get it ready for the procedure. I was actually lucky," he said.

Mathys Roets cannot sit and has no set discharge date

The procedure involved extensive reconstructive work and stitching, leaving Roets unable to sit while his body heals. He currently spends most of his time lying on his side and hopes to begin sitting for short periods from next week, depending on how his wound progresses.

His discharge date remains uncertain because his medical team must assess the healing clinically before clearing him to leave.

"It's just one of those things that doesn't work on a time scale. They have to look at you clinically. If those stitches come loose, I'm back to five weeks. I was hoping to be discharged next week, but I'm going to start sitting then. I suspect I'll be here for a few more weeks," he said.

Singer targets December stage return

The hospital stay has forced Roets to postpone his concerts, though he remains determined to return to performing before the year is out, with December in his sights.

Read also

Springbok Wilco Louw remembers late father on his birthday with heartfelt post

He has kept his spirits up by staying busy with administrative work and by leaning on friends who visit regularly. Some have even smuggled in braai meat and beer, which Roets credits as genuine mood lifters.

"People who smuggle in braai meat for you and talk to you like a normal person. Who plan with you about things you're going to do next year. It keeps my world open," he said.

He has also praised the nursing staff for their warmth, noting that his experience has defied the horror stories that often circulate about hospital care.

For anyone going through a similar recovery, Roets offered straightforward advice:

"Set yourself a few small, realistic goals. And then, of course: a braai and a beer."

Other articles to read on Briefly News

• In 2022, the publication compiled a list of the top 10 famous Afrikaans female singers and where they are now.
• The publication also compiled a list of the top Afrikaans male singers you should include in your playlist.
• Lastly, the publication wrote a story about Jean Jacques Rossouw, a young performer who shared an energetic Afrikaans song in a video on Instagram on 28 July 2026.

Source: Briefly News