“We Are Praying for Him”: Jacob Zuma’s Family Speaks as Former President Lies Critical in Hospital

Former president Jacob Zuma is in hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, where his brother says the family is praying for his recovery and fears that infighting in the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) is adding to the strain on the 84-year-old.

Khanya Zuma said his brother was unwell but played down the seriousness of his condition. Family members and people close to the former president, however, have offered differing accounts. One party insider described his condition as “critical but stable”, while a distant relative said it was very bad when Zuma was admitted. Two sources said he was in intensive care.

Khanya said he last saw Zuma on Monday, when the former president told him he was not feeling well. He described a trip that included a visit to Nkandla before Zuma went on to Msinga.

“When this started, he was going to Msinga. He was at Nkandla on Tuesday, then went to Msinga. I was with him on Monday. When I last saw him, he said, ‘Brother, I am not feeling well.’ But you could not tell that he was ill.”

[do_widget id=super_rss_reader-3] –> –> Khanya said Zuma was still in hospital and that a young family member was in contact with the hospital. He did not know which hospital Zuma was in or whether he would be moved to 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria.

“They just said he is in a hospital in KwaZulu-Natal.”

Asked how concerned the family was, Khanya said: “We are praying for him. How can we not pray for him?”

He acknowledged that Zuma was old, and said people should be mindful of the demands politics placed on him. Zuma founded the MKP after a long struggle to remain in the African National Congress (ANC), which ended with his expulsion from the party.

“Speaking for myself, my brother is old. He was chosen to be in this thing (politics). He joined it when he was young, and people are supposed to be considerate of him.”

Khanya said his brother could be difficult to read and might appear well even when he was worried.

“He is a man that you cannot read. He is brave. He can carry on as though everything is fine.”

But Khanya was openly angry about the pressure he believes party disputes are placing on Zuma, and said the family has struggled to spend time with him at home.

“That’s the thing. Even when he comes home, he doesn’t even have time for us. It gets so full here, and then they fight among each other.

“My brother formed this thing, and they are supposed to manage the party well so that my brother can be happy. But now, if he’s stressed about this, it makes me angry. Very angry. Because we grew up with my brother.

“We are supposed to be home with my brother. They should continue managing it and be happy that it’s being managed well, but they come here to report this and that and make noise.”

Khanya said Zuma’s first wife, Sizakele Khumalo, was quiet by nature and did not discuss how she was taking the news.

A highly placed source said government doctors had “taken over or intend taking over” Zuma’s care, adding that his status as a former president was relevant. The source said the MKP had initially withheld information from the government about the change in Zuma’s health.

“The party didn’t want to [inform the government] until they realised that he’s serious (sic).”

The insider said: “The man is not well, at all. The old man is ill. There are rumours that the party is crossing its fingers that he holds on until after the elections.”

A distant relative also said Zuma was seriously ill and criticised the party’s public statements about his health.

“The problem is that I don’t want to go against his party, which is saying one thing and something else. The problem is that lies are problematic. They were quick to issue statements and downplay something, and when something happens… you see that they were lying.”

The relative said he had distanced himself from Zuma because he believed the party was taking control of the situation without having the experience to manage it.

“because these people want to own everything as an organisation and yet they do not have the experience to manage such a situation. Even if you went to Nkandla now, you will find these MK people.”

Asked about the moment Zuma was admitted, the relative said: “What I heard is that it was very bad when he was admitted.”

Zuma is believed to be at Netcare St Anne’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg. There was a heavy security presence at the hospital on Thursday, along with government vehicles in the parking garage, including one bearing the presidential seal. Sources said he remained at St Anne’s, amid speculation that he might be airlifted to 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria.

MKP spokesperson Sifiso Mahlangu denied that Zuma would be transferred. When asked whether he remained in hospital in Pietermaritzburg, Mahlangu refused to confirm it and threatened to end communication.

In a statement issued on Wednesday evening, Mahlangu said Zuma had attended a routine medical check-up on Tuesday, conducted twice a year.

“We hereby confirm that he is healthy and in good spirits. His campaign programme will continue accordingly.”

The Presidency’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, declined to comment.

The hospitalisation comes as the party prepares for the local government elections on 4 November. Zuma has closely overseen the MKP’s mayoral candidate process and has been campaigning, but he recently missed a state of the city address in Orange Farm led by the party’s Johannesburg mayoral hopeful, Bongani Baloyi.

MKP second deputy president Tony Yengeni attended in Zuma’s place and told the crowd he had a “message” from Zuma: Johannesburg residents had to vote for Baloyi.

A confidant said Zuma had “been sick these days” but had not yet visited him in hospital.

His current illness has revived memories of the period before the 2024 general elections, when Zuma also fell ill on the eve of the vote.

Since forming the MKP in 2023, Zuma has remained deeply involved in party management and maintained a demanding schedule, including campaigning and frequent overseas travel. His positions abroad have at times clashed with official government policy.

In July, he met Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and voiced support for Moroccan control over Western Sahara, contrary to Pretoria’s longstanding support for the independence of the Sahrawi people. In August, International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola said he had proposed reviewing former presidents’ foreign travel benefits after Zuma met Ajay Gupta at a Hindu temple in Haridwar, India. Indian press reports quoted Zuma affirming his ambition to return to power and his friendship with Gupta, who has been accused of being a central figure in state capture.

The government believes Zuma, as the only former president to have founded a new political party, has used his privileges for political gain.

Zuma served as president from May 2009 until February 2018, when he resigned after the ANC moved to recall him. In July 2021, he was arrested and served time at Estcourt correctional centre in KwaZulu-Natal for failing to appear before the Zondo Commission.

In March 2024, his motorcade was involved in a crash on the R66. A 51-year-old man was arrested on charges of drunk, reckless and negligent driving after crashing into Zuma’s armoured, state-supplied vehicle.

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