Zimbabwe vice-president in South African hospital

HARARE, Zimbabwe – Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe says one of his deputies is in a South African hospital, as local media reported he was poisoned at a political rally.

Mugabe did not address the poisoning claims Monday. He told thousands at a national ceremony to honour independence heroes that Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa is in a hospital in Johannesburg.

Health minister David Parirenyatwa told reporters at the ceremony that Mnangagwa was taken to a hospital Saturday because “he had severe vomiting with diarrhea and became dehydrated.” Mnangagwa is now “much better, almost jovial,” he said.

Mnangagwa is viewed as one of Mugabe’s potential successors and is linked to a faction involved in a vicious succession battle. First lady Grace Mugabe is associated with the other faction.