Africa-Press – South-Africa. Former president Jacob Zuma has been admitted to hospital and is undergoing tests for an unknown ailment, says JG Zuma Foundation spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi.
“[Former] president Jacob Zuma is in hospital as we speak. Doctors are running tests, but they don’t have test results as yet. He is under strict observation,” Manyi added.
He was speaking shortly after Zuma’s corruption trial was postponed to 17 May.
Zuma’s reconsideration application related to the Supreme Court of Appeal’s dismissal of his “special plea” efforts to force the removal of prosecutor Billy Downer.
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Manyi said that he would update the public, but would not give details regarding which hospital Zuma was in.
“He is not even at home, he is in hospital. I will not say which hospital because that is a security issue. We will give updates as it unfolds.”
Manyi was also mum on the former president’s ailment.
“He is unwell, let’s leave it there. The degree [of his ill-health] is a technical matter I do not have competence of. I keep getting reports from doctors.”
Manyi, however, said a medical certificate was being sent to lawyers.
“The doctors have sent a medical certificate with a lot of detail as we speak. They will send it to the lawyers who will show it to the judge.”
In August last year, the former president was hospitalised while serving a 15-month jail term for defying a Constitutional Court ruling that he should appear before the State Capture Inquiry.
In 2020 Zuma’s lawyers presented a sick note to Judge Dhaya Pillay during his corruption trial. At the time, she said this was not enough evidence to show why he could not attend his trial.
Pillay had said while Zuma might indeed be sick, there was insufficient evidence before her to prove this.
Despite showing the note’s issuing by One Military Hospital and a Dr ZK Motene, Pillay raised a few concerns.
The document did not mention Zuma’s condition, only stating “medical condition” in a block next to the term “Laymans diagnosis (with consent of the patient)”, something Pillay said was unclear.
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