Jacob Zuma returned to the campaign trail at the MK Party's final KwaMashu rally on Sunday, following his 11-day hospital stay.
Former president Jacob Zuma has returned to the campaign trail after spending 11 days in hospital, addressing thousands of uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party supporters in KwaMashu on Sunday as the party made its final push ahead of Wednesday's local government elections.
The 84-year-old made his first in-person public appearance since being discharged from hospital on October 17, taking to the stage at Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban for the party's final election rally.
“Thank you, I am back,” Zuma told supporters at the start of an address lasting about 45 minutes.
His appearance followed weeks away from public engagements after he was admitted to Netcare St Anne's Hospital in Pietermaritzburg on October 6, after falling ill during a campaign event in uMsinga, northern KwaZulu-Natal.
The MK Party described his hospital stay as routine and said medical staff had identified fatigue and recommended a period of rest under medical supervision.
Zuma did not disclose further details about his health during Sunday's address, but sought to reassure supporters who had expressed concern about his absence.
He told the crowd there was no reason to worry about what had been said about his condition, adding that his illness had been minor.
The former president also appeared to dismiss speculation about his health through his actions, breaking into song and dancing as supporters called for his signature struggle song, Umshini wam.
His son, Duduzane Zuma, introduced him before the address and remained close by as he moved across the stage.
Zuma calls for return of ancestral land
Beyond addressing his return to public life, Zuma used the rally to renew his call for black South Africans to reclaim land.
He urged supporters to turn out in large numbers for Wednesday's elections and said the country’s land belonged to its people.
“We are going to start by taking back our country here,” he told the crowd.
Zuma's comments formed part of a broader appeal to supporters to back the MK Party at the ballot box, with the organisation seeking to build on its support in KwaZulu-Natal.
He also questioned the idea of political reconciliation with those he regards as opponents, asking supporters why they would sit with an enemy and call that person a brother.
The rally ended with Zuma once again leading supporters in Umshini wam, with the crowd joining in song and dance.
Zuma's return comes ahead of crucial local elections
Zuma's hospitalisation had kept him away from the party's public campaign activities for several weeks.
He was admitted to hospital after becoming unwell during an MK Party campaign event in uMsinga on October 6. He spent 11 days at the Pietermaritzburg facility before being discharged on October 17.
The party had previously said he was recovering at home and continuing to attend to party matters.
On Friday evening, Zuma also appeared in a video message released by the MK Party, urging voters to support the organisation in the November 4 local government elections.
The party, which broke away from the African National Congress (ANC), made its electoral debut in the 2024 national and provincial elections and has since become the country's third-largest political force.
Zuma served as South Africa's president from 2009 until 2018, when he resigned following sustained pressure from within the ANC amid a series of corruption scandals.
Despite leaving office, he remains the central figure in the MK Party, which is now seeking to translate its national political support into representation in municipalities.