Jacob Zuma’s sister Velephi passes away
The family will release an official statement about the death later.
May 20, 2019. Former South Africa President Jacob Zuma in the Pietermaritzburg High Court where he is hoping to avoid corruption charges. Picture : JACKIE Clausen / Pool
The Citizen has confirmed that one of former president Jacob Zuma’s little-known siblings, Velephi Zuma, passed away this week following a long illness.
Velephi is understood to have been in and out of hospital for nearly a decade, with one source telling The Citizen she’d been in a coma. However, family spokesperson Ray Zuma told The Citizen that wasn’t accurate, as she had been capable of hearing and responding to the family.
He was further willing to confirm that she was younger than Zuma, though he added that “I don’t even know how old Jacob Zuma is”.
Ray Zuma said the family would release a statement about the matter in due course and asked for the family to be given space to discuss it first.
Update: She will be laid to rest on Saturday in kwaMashu at her home at 9am.
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
