South Africa mines minister hospitalized with covid-19

South African Minister of Minerals and Energy Gwede Mantashe Mantashe. Photo from Mantashe’s official Twitter profile 2018

South Africa’s Minister of Minerals and Energy Gwede Mantashe has been hospitalized after testing positive for covid-19.

Mantashe, who is also chairman of the ruling ANC party in the African nation, went into self-quarantine about a week ago.

“Minister Mantashe was admitted to hospital on the advice of their family doctor for better medical attention and monitoring,” the presidency said in an emailed statement on Monday, Bloomberg reported.

It was revealed last week that Zindzi Mandela, the daughter of the country’s first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela, tested positive for covid-19 before her death at age 59.