Woman, 63, dies after collapsing in voting queue in Durban
Ongoing: Elections Hot
Nomusa Zulu died on arrival at RK Khan Hospital after she collapsed at the Shallcross Primary School voting station in Demat on Wednesday. Her family says the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) could have saved her and gave them no help afterwards.
The family says Zulu might have lived if IEC officials had rushed her to a medical facility. They also say the IEC should make sure people with medical training are at voting stations. The hospital is about 7km by road from the station.
Her daughter, Amanda Zulu, said a neighbour phoned her and told her to rush into the voting station because her mother had collapsed. Election observer Pretty Jwarah said earlier that bystanders gave Zulu water, called her daughter and called an ambulance.
The family says it arranged the funeral with few resources and received no visits or condolences from the IEC or any government agency. They say only the MK Party visited, offered condolences and promised help with the funeral. Her sister, Cynthia Zulu, said the family would not vote again because nobody cares.
Key facts
- Who
- Nomusa Zulu (63-year-old woman who died after collapsing at a voting station); Cynthia Zulu (sister of Nomusa Zulu); Amanda Zulu (daughter of Nomusa Zulu); Pretty Jwarah (election observer who was at the station)
- What
- Nomusa Zulu collapsed in the queue at a voting station and died on arrival at RK Khan Hospital. Her family says the IEC could have saved her life, and they say they received no help from the IEC or government after her death.
- When
- 4 November 2026
- Where
- Demat, Durban, Chatsworth
- Status
- Reported