Former president Jacob Zuma was discharged from a Pietermaritzburg hospital and returned home to resume party work, according to the uMkhonto weSizwe Party. The 84-year-old leader’s hospitalization had coincided with the party cancelling its planned manifesto rally ahead of the November 4 local government elections.
Hospital Discharge and Medical Supervision
Former president Jacob Zuma returned home after spending more than a week receiving medical care at Netcare St Anne’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg, where he was admitted on October 6. Party representatives confirmed that the 84-year-old was back at work and actively engaging in party matters following his release.
While initial party announcements described the visit as a routine check-up, officials later clarified that his medical team intervened due to fatigue. Sifiso Mahlangu, speaking for the uMkhonto weSizwe Party, detailed the medical intervention in a public statement.
Ahead of his release, speculation regarding Zuma’s health prompted varied public reactions. His daughter, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, shared footage on social media platform X showing her father doing weight training to counter rumors suggesting he was in critical condition. Meanwhile, the Jacob Zuma Foundation criticized intense public scrutiny, with spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi stating that the foundation viewed the media requests as persecution and invasion of privacy.
The foundation further insisted that the public afford the former president the dignity he deserves, adding that permanent enquiries were not appreciated and that it would not provide minute-by-minute updates. Additional tension emerged over reports concerning his transport and condition, while foundation representatives questioned the comparable attention given to other political figures like Deputy President Paul Mashatile.
Manifesto Launch Cancellation and Campaign Shifts
Zuma’s hospitalization directly disrupted the party’s national campaigning schedule ahead of the local government elections on November 4. The organization cancelled its planned Siyathatha rally, which had been scheduled to take place in Mbombela, Mpumalanga.
MK Party parliamentary leader John Hlophe conceded that cancelling Sunday’s planned launch was necessary while the party president remained under medical care. Insiders noted that financial pressures and questions regarding service provider payments also complicated plans for a major launch event in eThekwini, leading organizers to pivot toward a decentralized strategy.
Instead of a mass gathering, the party distributed its election manifesto electronically to structures and members. Officials announced the launch of the Molo Makhelwane campaign, directing candidates, structures, and volunteers to engage households directly across cities, townships, farms, and villages until the campaign concludes on November 3.
Candidate List Disputes and Internal Party Friction
Internal tensions surfaced concurrently with the campaign adjustments, as members across multiple provinces raised concerns over candidate selections. In the Free State, disgruntled members gathered in Welkom to demand transparency and the removal of provincial elections coordinator Sandile Mabiza over alleged list manipulation.
Disgruntled members claimed that names submitted through local meetings were omitted from the final lists registered with the Electoral Commission of South Africa. National MKP representative Moosa Kumbe addressed the grievances during a briefing, acknowledging that similar disputes over ward candidate lists were occurring nationwide.
At the national leadership level, Duduzane Zuma was dispatched to address unhappy members in the Moses Mabhida region following candidate lists that had been imposed by national officials rather than chosen by local branches. Analysts noted that the combination of leadership succession anxieties, hospital uncertainty, and administrative friction presented notable challenges for the party.