Chronicle Editor
Award-winning actor Israel Matseke-Zulu, who played Don in Mzansi Magic’s popular telenovela Gomora, has had his leg amputated.
Matseke-Zulu has been open about his struggle with gangrene, which led him to ask to exit the award-winning telenovela because of his health as he was struggling to get around on set.
The actor, who spoke briefly to Sunday World on Friday, confirmed that he was recuperating after the operation on his right leg.
Last month, in a statement issued by his management company Orange and Ice Management, the Yizo Yizo star said the gangrene “had rendered him semi-crippled”.
A source said he had the operation at a Sandton hospital about two weeks ago.
Interestingly, Gomora has paid a subtle, but moving tribute to Matseke-Zulu in its storyline with Teddy (Sicelo Buthelezi), who plays his son in the TV drama, polishing his shoes as a way of dealing with his grief.
Another mole revealed that the producers were toying with the idea of bringing his character back next year as soon as he makes a full recovery.
“Without a doubt, the man is a legend and Gomora needs him,” said the source.
“He has the full and unwavering support of his family and friends.”
Gangrene is a serious medical condition in which lack of blood supply to body tissues causes the tissue to die.
Although any body tissues can be affected, gangrene most commonly starts in the fingers, toes, hands and feet. Gangrene can be fatal if left untreated.
Here is what you need to know about the life-threatening condition of gangrene.
Gangrene can develop when the supply of blood to an area of your body is interrupted. This can occur as the result of an injury, an infection, or an underlying condition that affects your circulation.
Who’s most at risk of contracting gangrene?
Gangrene is more likely to develop in individuals who have underlying health conditions that can affect the blood vessels and arteries and those with a weakened immune system.
The underlying health conditions include:
Diabetes – a lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high, which can damage nerves and blood vessels
Atherosclerosis – where arteries narrow and become clogged with a fatty substance known as plaque
Peripheral arterial disease – where a build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries restricts blood supply to leg muscles
Raynaud’s – where blood vessels in certain parts of the body, usually the fingers or toes, react abnormally to cold temperatures
Weakened Immune System
If your immune system is seriously weakened, minor infections can become more serious and can lead to gangrene. – SundayWorld.
Online Reporter