Four versions of Zuma's hospital stay in four days. Which one is true?

On Wednesday, the MK Party said Jacob Zuma was sitting in his lounge at Nkandla. On Friday, The Witness said he was still in hospital.

Both cannot be the whole picture. Here is every version, in order.

Who said what about Zuma's hospital stay, and when?

This table uses only what the outlets reported. Nothing here is confirmed by hospital records.

Sources are TimesLIVE and EWN on 7 October and The Witness on 9 October.

Is Jacob Zuma still in hospital?

The Witness says yes, or at least he was on Thursday night. Its reporter saw a presidential protection vehicle in the hospital's underground parking, two days after the reported ambulance arrival.

The paper also says two health workers told it Zuma was in intensive care and that staff were told not to talk about it. It says a move to a military hospital in Pretoria was being considered.

The party's line is the opposite. Mahlangu says Zuma attends a routine check-up at least twice a year. He told reporters that people saw the president's cars and convoy and assumed the worst.

What exactly did the MK Party say?

EWN reports the party saying Zuma is "in good health" and "in high spirits." It said his campaign programme for the local government elections continues as planned.

Mahlangu told TimesLIVE that Zuma was on a call with him that day and was "very much well and alive."

He also said Zuma was in hospital but is fine. That is the line people keep quoting back, because it confirms a hospital visit that the first statement called a routine check-up.

Photo: eNCA / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

What did Zuma's foundation say?

The Witness says the Jacob Zuma Foundation first challenged the story and warned the paper that it would cut ties if it was published. It later denied that Zuma was seriously ill.

TimesLIVE reports that Zuma's representatives say his care as a former head of state is coordinated through the SANDF's Military Health Service. TimesLIVE adds that medical records are largely confidential under the law.

An eyewitness quoted by The Witness answered the denial directly and said they had seen what they saw.

Why does this matter before 4 November?

Zuma is 84. He is the leader and best-known campaigner of the MK Party, which is fighting the local elections on Wednesday 4 November.

The Witness cites an MK associate at Monday's rally in Rietvlei, Msinga. The associate said Zuma appeared unwell and that the hot marquee may have played a part. This is one person's account.

If you want to know what is at stake on the day, see our guide to the 4 November local elections. For more on how parties handle awkward questions, read how the ANC's corruption story keeps being retold.

Photo: Пресс-служба Президента России / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

What are people asking now?

Search for this story and the same questions come up. Where is Zuma right now? Was it really a routine check-up if an ambulance was involved? Why is there a convoy at a hospital if he went home? When will he appear in public again?

None of these has an official answer. As of Saturday 10 October, we found no newer statement from the party, the foundation or the family.

Mahlangu, for his part, waved the whole thing away. He said it was "a hoo-hah" over a visit to the doctor. His closing line was a date, not a location. "We will meet on November 4 at the IEC."

Until then, the one thing everyone is waiting for is a photo of Zuma, taken today.