Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has appealed for privacy for former president Jacob Zuma, who is receiving specialist care in KwaZulu-Natal. Ntshavheni was speaking to the media on Sunday during a briefing by the inter-ministerial committee on migration. She emphasized that only Zuma's medical team could provide information about his condition with his consent.
Zuma, 84, was admitted to Netcare St Anne's Hospital in Pietermaritzburg on October 7 and remained under the care of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) surgeon-general and his team on Saturday. The government had dispatched a team of specialist doctors, including a resuscitation expert, to KZN on October 9 to provide treatment.
President Cyril Ramaphosa had assigned the surgeon-general to oversee Zuma's treatment and urged the public to leave questions about his condition to the medical team and his family. Ntshavheni stressed that a person's position in society does not entitle the public to violate their privacy.
The hospitalisation has prompted speculation about Zuma's health, including reports linking his condition or possible death to a potential military deployment and unrest in KZN. The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party in the province has condemned the reports, questioning their sourcing, verification and public-interest justification.
MK Party's KZN provincial elections spokesperson, Mkhuseli Mlengane, said the reports risked causing unnecessary anxiety and fuelling political uncertainty. He urged party members and supporters to remain calm and avoid circulating unverified information, particularly given KZN's history of political instability and violence.
Ramaphosa addressed Zuma's health on Friday, confirming that the former president had been unwell and was receiving medical treatment. Ramaphosa wished Zuma a speedy recovery, saying, "We wish President Zuma well. We wish him a very quick recovery, and we want him to be well and up and continuing to serve the people of South Africa in whichever way."
The MK Party is considering approaching regulatory and oversight authorities to seek an examination of the reporting and any potential breaches of journalistic standards. Mlengane said journalists had a responsibility to uphold accuracy, fairness and professional standards when reporting on sensitive issues like Zuma's health.
Key points
- The government has urged the public to respect Zuma's privacy and refrain from demanding details about his hospitalisation.
- Zuma's family had reportedly declined to have him transferred to 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria, preferring that he remain in KwaZulu-Natal.
- The MK Party has condemned reports speculating about Zuma's health and possible death, warning that they risk causing unnecessary anxiety and fuelling political uncertainty.
