‘Shakes’ Mashaba discharged from hospital ‘in jubilant mood’

Former Bafana Bafana coach and Orlando Pirates legend Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba has been discharged from hospital having fully recovered from a serious bladder infection.

Mashaba, 74, was admitted to Helen Joseph Hospital in Auckland Park due to difficulty urinating on January 25, discharged on January 26 and readmitted on January 27 with a swollen tongue that was closing his airways.

“Yes he’s been discharged,” Sithembele Khala, who has been acting as a spokesperson for the Mashaba family, said.

Asked if the coach has been given the all-clear on his health issues, Khala said: “He’s completely fine. He was walking and in a jubilant mood and completely recovered.”

There had been concerns raised by Khala in interviews over the standard of treatment Mashaba received at public hospital Helen Joseph early on, including an assertion the coach was left “sitting there without seeing a doctor for a day or two”.

These were reported to have improved after a visit to the coach by Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi and MEC for sport Matome Chiloane, and later South African Football Association president Danny Jordaan, on February 4, after which Mashaba was moved to a private ward.

Khala said the coach left the hospital ultimately happy with the treatment he received.

“After the visits by the premier and MEC, followed by the Safa president they shifted him to a different ward, a private ward, but they also said it was out of security consideration because then people were coming to the hospital wanting to see him.

“They also increased the security on that floor. But he was put in a far better ward then before.

“By the end he was quite satisfied.”