Jacob Zuma’s ‘welcome prayer’ planned for October 14 in KZN, says foundation

Cape Town – A “welcome prayer” has been planned for former South African president Jacob Zuma in KwaZulu-Natal following his release from hospital last week, his foundation said on Thursday.

“The foundation will host a welcome prayer for [former] president Zuma in KwaZulu-Natal. Faith-based, religious organisations and non-governmental organisations, including all political parties, are invited. Covid-19 protocols will apply. Finer details will be announced,” the foundation tweeted.

The event will be held on October 14.

Zuma was in August admitted to a hospital outside the Estcourt Correctional Centre where he had been incarcerated for 15 months for ignoring a court order to testify before a judicial panel probing corruption during his nine-year tenure which lasted until 2018.

Zuma was granted medical parole by the department of correctional services in September, and would, therefore, complete the rest of his sentence in a “system of community corrections”.

The foundation’s announcement comes a day after it dismissed media reports that Zuma will be addressing his supporters from his home in Nkadla.

ALSO READ | Jacob Zuma ‘won’t be addressing his supporters at Nkandla’, foundation says

“Dear Media. The Foundation is humbly requesting that you please afford H.E Prez Zuma space without unnecessary invasion. Any public appearance that Prez Zuma wishes to make, will be announced as such. Please consider everything FAKE NEWS until the Foundation announces otherwise,” the foundation said on Tuesday.

The Witness had indicated earlier that Zuma’s supporters would gather at his home and that he would address them virtually.

According to Times Live, one of Zuma’s nephews, who preferred to remain anonymous but lived inside the Nkandla compound, said recently that the former leader was not himself after his release from hospital.

ALSO READ | ‘Rallies, prayers planned’ as relatives and supporters eagerly await Jacob Zuma’s return to Nkandla after his release on medical parole

“Yes, he is home but he is not well. Yazi, even when you look at him, he is not the charming and ever-laughing JZ who is full of jokes,” the report quoted the nephew as saying.

Another of Zuma’s nephew, Inkosi Simphiwe Zuma of the kwaNxamalala Tribal authority, said there was nothing to celebrate:

“Though he’s not 100% OK, we have hope that he will recover fully. He is old, remember that and there was a little remainder of the poison he was given back in 2014, so he really has not been well…,” he said .

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Compiled by Betha Madhomu

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