South Africa Provincial Head Tests COVID-19 Positive

The head of government or premier of South African's North West province and a senior official tested positive for COVID-19, a day after their colleague succumbed to the disease.

North West Premier Tebogo Job Mokgoro announced late Tuesday that he tested positive for COVID-19 and is effectively in self-isolation, said his office.

According to the premier's office, he took a test on Monday following the death of a colleague, Gordon Kegakilwe, a provincial member of the Executive Council responsible for cooperative governance, human settlement, and traditional affairs.

Kegakilwe was admitted with COVID-19-related pneumonia at the Vryburg Private Hospital but suffered cardiac arrest upon his transfer to Klerksdorp, a much larger city, in an ambulance. He died despite efforts by medical personnel to revive him.

"The provincial health department has already begun contact tracing in this regard," the statement said, referring to tracing those who had been in contact with the infected official.

The statement also said another provincial member of the Executive Council responsible for public works and roads, Saliva Molapisi, also tested positive and is in self-isolation.

Another head of a provincial government or premier of South Africa's Western Cape province tested positive for COVID-19 hours after his colleague in the North West province contracted the virus.

"I received a positive test result for COVID-19 this morning, and I am in self-isolation at home for 14 days," Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said in a statement on Wednesday.

The spokesman for South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province Njabulo Ricardo Mthembu died after contracting COVID-19.

The KZN Legislature said in a tweet it is mourning the passing of Mthembu who served as committee chairperson for cooperative governance and traditional affairs.

"He joined the KZN Legislature after the 2019 elections. The news of his passing has been received with great sadness," the legislature said. He also previously served as mayor of Kwa-Dukuza. The ANC is yet to issue a statement on his death.

South Africa has nine provinces, and each has an executive council, which can also be referred to as a provincial cabinet. The Provincial Executive Council consists of the premier as head and 5-10 members.

South Africa has the highest number of COVID-19 infections in Africa with 215,855 cases. At least 3,502 people have died from the disease since the first death was reported in the country three months ago.

Officials are expecting an increase in infections as the country is currently in the winter season. They have set up several field hospitals and isolation centers to deal with the anticipated surge. -