HARARE, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa is admitted in a South African hospital for treatment of an undisclosed ailment, President Robert Mugabe said Monday.
Mugabe said this while addressing thousands of people gathered at the National Heroes Acre to celebrate the lives of Zimbabweans who died during the protracted struggle for Zimbabwe's independence.
Local media reported at the weekend that VP Mnangagwa allegedly fell sick on Saturday during Mugabe's address at a youth interface rally in Gwanda, Matabeleland South Province.
According to the privately-owned Standard newspaper, Mnangagwa left the rally in an ambulance and was immediately airlifted to a military facility in Gweru after he started vomiting.
Mugabe at the Heroes Acre announced that Mnangagwa was not present at the national shrine because he was in hospital.
"Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa is not back yet from hospital in Johannesburg," Mugabe said.
Local media reports have accused Mnangagwa of leading one of the two factions in the ruling ZANU-PF party that are vying to succeed Mugabe.
Mnangagwa denies the accusations.
Mugabe, 93, will seek re-election for his second and final term in office after his ZANU-PF party endorsed him as its presidential candidate in next year's polls.
