What you said: Zuma’s prayer event is a political rally posing as a church service

With former president Jacob Zuma’s planned national “welcome prayer” around the corner, many TimesLIVE readers feel that there’s more to the event than just prayer. 

Last week the Jacob Zuma Foundation announced a national welcome home prayer will be held on October 14. 

The prayer comes after the former president was released from hospital on medical parole.  

Faith-based organisations, religious organisations and non-governmental organisations and political parties have been invited to the event. 

“The foundation will host a welcome prayer for [former] president Zuma in KwaZulu-Natal. Covid-19 protocols will apply. Finer details will be announced,” the foundation said.

Half, or 50%, of those who took part in a poll conducted by TimesLIVE said the event is a political rally posing as a church service, 36% said Zuma may need more than just prayer, and 14% said they agree with the initiative as the former president needs the support.

Zuma was admitted to a military hospital for medical treatment in August, shortly after he began serving his 15-month jail term at the Estcourt Correctional Centre for contempt of court. 

His undisclosed illness saw him granted medical parole by the department of correctional services and he will complete the rest of his sentence in a “system of community corrections”.

Last month, Zuma spent his first night at his Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal after his release.

“He is in his Nkandla home but he will be returning to spend the whole of next week in Johannesburg. We are happy he is fine and things are somewhat back to normal, though not 100% yet,” said a source who asked to remain anonymous.