South African govt denies naked rumor

A South African government spokesperson Wednesday denied a rumor that the country's consul general in Shanghai was found wandering around outside naked near his residence in the city.

The unsubstantiated rumor  got attention after South African media reported the rumor last week, following a government announcement that it had terminated Consul General Lassy Chiwayo's contract in Shanghai.

The UK-based Daily Telegraph reported Monday that the contract was terminated early due to "health reasons." It also reported the rumor about Chiwayo, citing reports in two South African newspapers.

The rumor is "not true," said Clayson Monyela, a spokesperson for the South Africa Department of International Relations and Cooperation.

Monyela told the Global Times that Chiwayo had to cut short his contract in Shanghai due to a health problem that required him to return to South Africa for professional medical treatment.

Chiwayo is planning to sue the Sunday World, a South African tabloid, for reporting the rumor, Monyela said.

Chiwayo denied the rumor when interviewed by the Sunday World. The tabloid also reported that police escorted Chiwayo to the airport when he left Shanghai.

Lu Feng, a press officer for the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau, told the Global Times that he had never heard of any of the allegations about the South African consul general.

Monyela said that Chiwayo will not return to Shanghai, and the department is in the process of appointing his replacement. The decision will be made in the next couple of weeks.