WISHING ANC MPs TUROK AND SUNDUZA SPEEDY RECOVERY

17 February 2014

The Office of the ANC Chief Whip wishes well two of its Members of Parliament, Prof Ben Turok and Thandile Sunduza, who have recently been admitted to hospital with various ailments. ANC stalwart and veteran MP, Prof Ben Turok, was recently discharged from hospital and is recovering at home after undergoing heart medical treatment. Prof Turok, a key figure in the Freedom Charter process and currently parliament's ethics committee co-chairman, has been in and out of hospital since October last year. The Office of the Chief Whip had been in close contact with him and we are pleased with his recovery process. He is expected back in Parliament in March.

Sunduza, who is also chairwoman of the parliamentary arts and culture committee, was admitted to a hospital in Johannesburg after collapsing at the airport. Doctors have placed her under strict medical supervision, taking into account that she is at advanced stage of pregnancy. We condemn in the strongest terms the vicious and relentless ridicule she suffered particularly on social media merely because of her weight and how she chose to dress at the occasion of the State of Nation Address.

The malicious mocking on social media are nothing short of cyber bullying and also border on crass sexism and gender objectification. It is shameful that there are elements in society who see it fit to subject women to such abuse just because they don't fit their description of how they should dress or look when pregnant. We urge those cyber bullies to cease such shameful acts. The Office has been in contact with the hospital and we are satisfied that she is receiving the best medical attention.

The Office of the ANC Chief Whip wishes the two MPs well and a speedy recovery. We are confident that they will soon be back in their respective tasks in Parliament.

Statement issued by the Office of the ANC Chief Whip, February 17 2014

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