Ramaphosa tells Mbalula to rest after falling ill in court — TimesLIVE

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has instructed African National Congress Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula to take a break from work after he fell ill during a press conference at the Constitutional Court. TimesLIVE reports.

Deterioration in health

Mbalula was speaking to journalists after the ANC's successful case in the Constitutional Court concerning the exclusion of the party's candidates from electoral lists. During the address, he felt dizzy and could not stand on his own. According to the publication, he was taken to a hospital in Sandton, from which he was discharged late that evening.

After that, Mbalula cancelled a planned speech at an ANC Youth League event in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria. He was due to make his first public appearance after the incident in court.

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Dispute over candidates

Ramaphosa told journalists in Cape Town that the dispute over the registration of 181 candidates, who could have been barred from the local elections on November 4, had affected Mbalula's health. The president added that the ANC secretary-general was recovering and would return to work, but first needed to rest.

The Constitutional Court upheld the ANC's case regarding candidates in six municipalities. Before his health worsened, Mbalula emotionally thanked Ramaphosa and ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe for their support. According to TimesLIVE, some members of the party's National Executive Committee are seeking disciplinary action against Mbalula over the organization of the candidate registration process.