MK party scraps rally ahead of elections as Zuma health concerns grow
Speculation surrounding Zuma's health has intensified in recent days.
The MK party has cancelled its major Siyathatha rally in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, in light of President Jacob Zuma's declining health situation. This decision came as the party launched an urgent probe into alleged irregularities in the Election Commission of South Africa's final councillor candidate lists. Concerns grew that the party had excluded communities' nominated candidates from the lists ahead of the local government elections.
The party's spokesperson, Sifiso Mahlangu, announced that the rally, originally scheduled for Sunday, 18 October 2026, was cancelled to redirect resources and efforts towards ward-level campaigning and community engagement. The 2026 LGE People's Mandate will be shared electronically with the party on Thursday, 15 October 2026. Zuma's health status remains a hot topic, with speculation growing after reports emerged that he had left the hospital and returned to his home in Nkandla.
The Jacob Zuma Foundation rejected these reports, stating that the 84-year-old is still under medical care at Netcare St Anne’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg. Zuma's health has been described as "very concerning" by sources close to the former president, though the party maintains that he is receiving routine medical treatment and remains in good spirits.
The foundation accused sections of the media of fueling speculation and misinformation about Zuma's condition, urging the public to disregard unverified reports while he remains under medical supervision.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
