Deputy President Paul Mashatile Sits Out Gordhan’s Funeral, NCOP Session, SA All for It: “It’s Fine”

• Deputy President Paul Mashatile is expected to be out of action for the next week while recovering at home
• Mashatile experienced a health scare when he collapsed on stage while at an event in Tzaneen on 14 September
• Critical onlookers fired a barrage of criticism online, with some calling the deputy president's role unnecessary

TSHWANE — Deputy President Paul Mashatile will take the next week off to recuperate at home after his recent health scare.

This made Mashatile a notable absentee from former Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan's State Funeral on Thursday, 19 September.

Mashatile sits out Gordhan's funeral, NCOP session

He also missed the coinciding National Council of Provinces (NCOP) plenary session. It comes after Mashatile collapsed on stage on Saturday as he delivered the keynote address at the N'wamitwa Day Celebrations at Valoyi Cultural Village in Tzaneen, Limpopo.

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He had since written to the NCOP chairperson, Refilwe Tsipane, to postpone the session, during which he was due to reply orally to questions.

The South African reported that Tsipane agreed to the request from Mashatile, who was due to brief the session on the Government of National Unity's (GNU) plans to improve municipal performance and accelerate service delivery.

Deputy presidential acting spokesperson Keith Khoza said Mashatile's medical team had decided he should take a backseat.

"While the deputy president is [past the scare] and in high spirits, the medical team's advice was such that he should withdraw from scheduled official duties for this week," Khoza said.

"The deputy president looks forward to having an opportunity to inform the NCOP of the GNU's efforts to improve municipal governance and service delivery, among others."

Onlookers on social media were unforgiving in response to the latest developments surrounding Mashatile's break.

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South Africans downplay deputy presidency

Some social media users were indifferent to the announcement, while others dismissed the deputy presidency as ceremonial.

Briefly News scans the heated commentary.

@iAmSpreadlove wrote:

"We don't even need a deputy president. It's a ceremonial title. They do nothing except take photos."

@nordienmn said:

"The same office that denied he collapsed?"

@Moshe_Meso added:

"I think retirement will be more effective."

Source: Briefly News