Cabinet has rejected speculation about former president Nelson Mandela’s health and called on the media not to give undue prominence to such ”malicious messages”.
Briefing the media at Parliament on Thursday after Cabinet’s fortnightly meeting on Wednesday, government communications head Themba Maseko said it had noted reports of hoax e-mails and SMS messages regarding Mandela’s health.
”These irresponsible messages predict racial conflict in the event of Madiba’s passing away,” he said.
Maseko repeated that there was no truth to the speculation about Mandela’s health.
As was the case with all public figures, the public would be informed of such matters though official channels and without delay.
Attention should not be paid to such rumours or to malicious predictions of conflict.
The principles Mandela stood for are enshrined in the Constitution and enjoy the unqualified support of government and the majority of South Africans.
”We call upon the media not to give these malicious messages any undue prominence or credence, as this only plays into mischievous hands.
”The government has every confidence that the overwhelming majority of every sector of South African society would not allow a few individuals to deflect them from the irreversible progress we are making in building a united nation,” Maseko said. — Sapa