Former president Jacob Zuma remained hospitalised at Netcare St Anne’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, eight days after his admission, even as his party and family gave conflicting accounts of his health.
According to IOL, two hospital staff members who spoke anonymously said Zuma, 84, was still in the ward, in good spirits and taking video calls from relatives, while security guards stayed at their posts. His son Duduzane visited earlier than usual on Tuesday, 13 October 2026.
Why is Jacob Zuma hospitalised?
Zuma was admitted on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, after reportedly falling ill while campaigning for the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party in uMsinga, KwaZulu-Natal. The party calls the stay a routine check-up that he undergoes twice a year, and no diagnosis has been released. In a statement, the party said:
“We hereby confirm that he is healthy and in good spirits. His campaign programme will continue accordingly,” the party said.
Zuma’s brother, Khanya Zuma, gave a different account of his condition. He said he last saw the former president on Monday, 5 October 2026, the day before the admission, and that Zuma told him: “Brother, I am not feeling well.” President Cyril Ramaphosa has also said Zuma had “not been well” and is being treated by doctors.
Is Jacob Zuma still in hospital?
Reports have conflicted since Monday, 12 October 2026. A television report said Zuma was discharged that night and would return to his Nkandla home, but the Jacob G. Zuma Foundation rejected the claim on Tuesday, 13 October 2026. Foundation spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi said:
“Reports that H.E. President Zuma has been discharged are not true,” Manyi said.
Unnamed sources close to Zuma have described his condition as being at a “very concerning stage”, and an unnamed party source claimed he was in intensive care. Neither claim could be verified, and the foundation has rejected claims that he is critical. Manyi has called the media attention a frenzy, saying: “We see it as persecution and invasion of privacy.”
What the Jacob Zuma hospital stay means for the MK Party
The MK Party cancelled its Siyathatha rally planned for Sunday, 18 October 2026, saying it would focus on ward-level campaigning ahead of the local government elections on Wednesday, 4 November 2026. Zuma is also expected to testify before the TRC Cases Inquiry later this month, and his attendance at party events is uncertain.
His daughter, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, responded to a post claiming he was on his deathbed by sharing an undated video of him smiling and lifting weights on Wednesday, 14 October 2026. An earlier report on Zuma-Sambudla’s trial covers her court case.
What happens next
No date for Zuma’s return to Nkandla has been confirmed, and the foundation has said it will keep the public informed of any developments in his condition. The MK Party’s election manifesto was due to be shared electronically on Thursday, 15 October 2026, ahead of the vote on Wednesday, 4 November 2026.
Sources
- IOL, Guards on watch as Jacob Zuma remains in hospital
- IOL, MK Party cancels rally amid candidate list dispute and Zuma health concerns
- IOL, Zuma's hospital stay puts MK Party succession plans and Duduzane in the spotlight
- Inside Politics, Zuma's health sparks concern within MKP leadership, but no 'crisis meeting' yet
- The Citizen, 'Zuma on his deathbed'? Not so, suggests daughter Zuma-Sambudla
- eNCA, Zuma remains in hospital ahead of MK Party manifesto launch
- eNCA, Jacob Zuma reportedly discharged from Pietermaritzburg hospital
- Briefly, Former president and MK Party leader Jacob Zuma discharged from hospital after recent admission
- The Witness, Zuma foundation dismisses reports of hospital discharge
- The Witness, MK Party says Zuma healthy after medical check-up
- Swisher Post, WATCH LIVE: Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla trial resumes today as court examines deleted video evidence
