It was unclear on Thursday what the condition was of Elita, wife of hospitalised former president FW de Klerk, a family spokesperson said.
”We don’t know yet. We’ll wait for the doctors to do their rounds,” Dave Steward said.
He confirmed that Elita had been admitted to Cape Town’s Panaroma medi-clinic, which is also treating her husband, on Wednesday evening after she developed a stress-induced allergic reaction.
”She’s been under a lot of stress, compounded by rumours circulating of FW’s death and friends calling to offer condolences,” said Steward.
Beeld newspaper apologised on Thursday for a headline the previous day on its website, Beeld.com, that announced FW de Klerk’s death.
On the former president, Steward said his condition remains stable and he is making progress.
De Klerk, convalescing after surgery to remove a malignant colon tumour, underwent a tracheotomy on Wednesday.
A tracheotomy involves a temporary or permanent surgical incision into the trachea, usually as a result of blocked upper-air passages. — Sapa