Conflicting reports emerge over Jacob Zuma’s hospital discharge

Cape Town – Conflicting reports have emerged over whether former president and uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party leader Jacob Zuma has been discharged from hospital, with his foundation denying claims that he has been released.

According to The Citizen, foundation spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi rejected reports that the 84-year-old had left Netcare St Anne’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, where he has been receiving treatment since last week.

“Reports that H.E. President Zuma has been discharged are not true,” Manyi said.

However, eNCA reported on Tuesday that Zuma had been discharged on Monday night but was advised by his medical team to remain in the Pietermaritzburg area overnight in case of a medical emergency. His doctors were expected to assess his condition before clearing him to travel to his Nkandla homestead.

The conflicting accounts follow days of uncertainty surrounding the former president’s health after he was admitted to hospital last week.

High spirits

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) reported on Monday that the Jacob Zuma Foundation said he was recovering well and in high spirits.

Manyi said a person who had been with Zuma reported that he was “in very high spirits” and “joking”, while expressing concern over the media attention surrounding his hospitalisation.

The MK Party previously maintained that Zuma had undergone a routine medical check-up, which he reportedly receives twice a year. However, reports citing sources close to the party described his condition as concerning.

Business Day also highlighted the conflicting accounts, noting that the party’s initial statements differed from reports that Zuma had been admitted after becoming unwell.

Zuma’s health has attracted increased attention ahead of South Africa’s local government elections scheduled for 4 November and his expected appearance at a Truth and Reconciliation Commission-related inquiry on 22 October.

As of the latest reports, the circumstances surrounding his discharge remain disputed, with no consistent public account confirming whether he has left hospital and been cleared to return home.