Shiceka, who has had tongues wagging for the past two weeks for failing to arrive at government meetings, was with President Jacob Zuma at a media briefing at the Union Buildings, in Pretoria, yesterday. He limped into the media room on crutches and with a scar on his head.
The mystery about Shiceka's whereabouts began more than two weeks ago when an SMS was circulated among ANC alliance leaders alleging that he had been beaten to a pulp after being caught-up in a love triangle.
But the minister's office denied this. Spokesman Vuyelwa Qinga-Vika said that he was "not nursing any wounds; he is on sick leave". She blamed the SMS on a political "smear campaign against the minister and some of his allies".
When asked yesterday what had happened to him, Shiceka said he "fell from the steps at home".