Jacob Zuma’s brother breaks silence: ‘It’s not looking good’

Former president Jacob Zuma’s brother has raised concerns over his health, warning that “it’s not looking good”. President Cyril Ramaphosa has also confirmed that the 84-year-old is still receiving medical treatment.

Khanya Zuma reportedly said that his brother had been unwell, contradicting earlier assurances from the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party that its leader was healthy.

The former president is reportedly receiving treatment at a private hospital in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal.

JACOB ZUMA’S BROTHER SPEAKS OUT

In an interview, Khanya said that Zuma had complained about feeling unwell when they last saw each other.

“When I last saw him, he said, ‘Brother, I am not feeling well.’ But you could not tell that he was ill,” he said.

While acknowledging concerns about his brother’s condition, Khanya said a younger family member had been in contact with the hospital and had received a more reassuring assessment from doctors.

The family has not publicly disclosed the nature of Zuma’s illness.

RAMAPHOSA CONFIRMS ZUMA IS RECEIVING TREATMENT

Meanwhile, Ramaphosa confirmed on Friday, 9 October, that Zuma had been unwell and was receiving medical attention.

[WATCH] President @CyrilRamaphosa responds to questions from members of the media at the conclusion of his visit to Phuthaditjhaba, Free State, following the launch of the Free State Catalytic Investment and Industrialisation Project.

The President wishes former President Jacob… pic.twitter.com/NV2Xs2kLnm

— The Presidency 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) October 9, 2026

“President Jacob Zuma has not been well, and he has now been put under treatment by doctors,” Ramaphosa told journalists in remarks broadcast by SABC.

Ramaphosa also confirmed that the military surgeon general had been briefed about the former president’s condition.

The president wished Zuma a speedy recovery and expressed hope that he would recover sufficiently to continue serving South Africans.

Ramaphosa’s comments follow days of conflicting accounts about Zuma’s health, with his party maintaining that he had merely attended a routine examination.

MK PARTY INSISTS ZUMA IS HEALTHY

The developments follow The South African’s report on Wednesday, 7 October, that Zuma had been hospitalised following campaign activities in KwaZulu-Natal.

Initial reports indicated that he became unwell while campaigning in Msinga.

However, MK Party spokesperson Sifiso Mahlangu dismissed concerns about his health.

“The president is not unwell. He is very much well and alive; it was a regular check-up,” Mahlangu said.

The party subsequently issued a statement confirming that Zuma had attended a routine medical examination, which it said he undergoes twice a year.

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

Despite those assurances, it was reported on Friday that Zuma had remained at a private hospital in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday night.

He was reportedly admitted to intensive care.

Neither the hospital nor the MK Party has officially confirmed the ICU claims.

ZUMA MISSES MK PARTY EVENT

Questions over Zuma’s health intensified after he missed an MK Party event in Orange Farm, Johannesburg, this week.

The party’s second deputy president, Tony Yengeni, attended in his place.

Yengeni told supporters that he had a message from Zuma, urging Johannesburg residents to vote for the party’s mayoral candidate, Bongani Baloyi.

Zuma has played a central role in the MK Party’s preparations for the 4 November local government elections.

The party previously indicated that he would resume campaigning on Friday.

However, there has been no independently verified confirmation of his return to the campaign trail.

Zuma’s diagnosis and expected discharge date remain unknown.