Actor Israel Zulu addresses death rumours

Award-winning actor Israel Matseke-Zulu has addressed the rumours that have been going around, saying that he was dead.

The actor recently exited popular Mzansi Magic show Gomora due to ill health where he was diagnosed with gangrene.

In a brief statement, he revealed that “he is very much alive and in high spirits”.

This was not the first time that the veteran actor had been declared dead by social media users.

He also shared that he was no longer shocked or hurt when such rumours came up as they had become an annual occurrence.

Previously speaking to Daily Sun, he said he was recovering well.

“I am thankful for the kind messages and prayers, but people should not worry about me too much. I am recovering well at home, and receiving the best medical attention,” he said.

He told the People’s Paper that at the time of filming his last scenes for the show, he was using a wheelchair. But now, he was able to walk.

“I am no longer in a wheelchair. I use crutches to walk around, which is a sign that I’m getting better.”

Israel, who has been in the entertainment industry for decades, said he was in Mpumalanga with his family.

“They have been very supportive of my condition, which I believe has made my recovery smooth and fast. I am grateful to them,” he added.

‘I am no longer in a wheelchair’ – Actor Israel Zulu assures Mzansi

THE news that Israel Matseke-Zulu left the cast of Gomora due to ill health has left his fans worried.

But the actor, who plays the role of Don on Mzansi Magic’s hit series, has assured everyone that he’s recovering well.

“I am thankful for the kind messages and prayers, but people should not worry about me too much.

I am recovering well at home and receiving the best medical attention,” he said.

“I am no longer in a wheelchair. I use crutches to walk around, which is a sign that I’m getting better.”

Israel, who has been in the entertainment industry for decades, said he was in Mpumalanga with his family.

“They have been very supportive of my condition, which I believe has made my recovery smooth and fast.

“I am very grateful for them,” he said.

Israel told a local publication he had to leave the show because he had gangrene on his right leg.

“Towards the end when I was shooting my last scene, I was using a wheelchair to get on set,” he said, adding that gangrene usually affected people suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure and other conditions.

“I tested for these conditions but I was in the clear, to my surprise.

“I guess it’s a natural unforeseen circumstance and I didn’t want to ask any questions that would demoralise and lead to me having other issues such as depression, heart disease and stroke.”

Israel told the People’s Paper that although he was recovering well, he still couldn’t perform everyday tasks.

He said he didn’t know when fans would see him back on TV.

He thanked the cast and crew of the series for bearing with him until the end, when he was filming his last scenes.

“I’d also like to apologise to my fans for my exit. I hope you continue to support the show, especially young actors doing their best to make it exciting,” Israel said.

Actor Israel Zulu Releases Statement Regarding His Ailing Health

Former Gomora actor Israel-Matseke Zulu has released a statement regarding his health. This follows his sudden departure from the Mzansi Magic soapie, that left his legion of fans concerned about whether he was given the boot.

He revealed that he left the show due to health problems. Many viewers were enchanted by how Israel portrayed Don Buthelezi on Gomora hence his exit hit home. In a statement he said he has been inundated with messages from his concerned fans and friends over reports of his illness and subsequent departure from the drama series.

He said he asked to be written off the show so that he can focus on his health.

“It is true that I have been diagnosed with a disease, which severely affected the functioning of my legs making difficult for me to walk properly and function well on set during the filming. It also makes it difficult for me to perform as an artist or throw in those Ghetto Professors dance moves that you know me for when invited to gigs. The growing demands of my job at Gomora made it difficult for me to give my all to the show due to this illness that effectively rendered me semi-crippled, he stated.

The actor has revealed that he was diagnosed with Gangrene shorty after joining the show. He said his illness started as some mild pains which I took as a passing phase.

“I love Gomora as a show which I have been close to from its inception, more so that it set up in my hood Alexandra township. At the same time I am the kind of actor who when I do what I like I want to be able to go full force, give it my all,” he continued.

He thanked the producers of the show and his fellow actors for understanding, “I appreciate the show producers and fellow actors for their understanding and for carrying me until the end. I apologise to the multitudes of my fans for my exit and hope you continue to support the show, especially the young crop of actors who are really doing their best to make it exciting. I am currently receiving the best medical treatment, and I am in high spirits having passed what I believe to be the worst stage of my situation.

He also thanked everyone for their continued support concerning his health. “I thank everyone for the kind messages and prayers during this time. I thank my family and friends for the support and being by my side. My God and ancestors are working wonder on me. I can assure you, GP-MaOrange will be back very soon! Spirit!”

Not only viewers of the show miss Don his onscreen bae Zodwa played by Sana Mchunu recently shared how it was a huge pleasure working with the icon, “It was such a pleasure working with you Don. WE MISS YOU ALREADY, IzinjaZeGame, sthandwaSaZodwa (Zodwa’s lover.)”

Last week, Zodwa pulled the trigger on him which lead to his death. His exit hit home and left his fans heartbroken.

Actor Israel Zulu Reveals Shocking Reason For Leaving Gomora

At first, Israel Zulu revealed that his contract on the Mzansi Magic hit show Gomora did not get renewed. But now, the iconic actor has revealed that he is sick and his health is allegedly deteriorating.

Speaking to a local publication, Israel said he started getting sick when he joined the hit telenovela, and things have not been getting any better. It got to the point where he used a wheelchair during his last days on set.

“The reason I am leaving the show is that I am sick, I started becoming sick shortly after I joined Gomora and I decided to leave the show because I saw it was becoming difficult for me because I can’t walk. Towards the end when I was shooting my last scene, I was using a wheelchair to get on set,” he revealed to the publication.

Although the decision to leave the telenovela as an actor and return to behind the scenes was not an easy one, Israel saw it fit because his health comes first.

“Performance is my life, this was one of the hardest decisions that I had to take, but I saw that my health matters the most and I need to recover. It was also hard because people had fallen in love with my character and I see some of them are protesting saying they are going to stop watching,” reckons Israel.

The publication reveals that Israel suffers from gangrene which is said to be a very dangerous and “potentially fatal condition” which is caused by dead tissues, “I will recover, but not any time soon,” he told the paper.

His legions of fans did express concern regarding his exit with some saying they will not be watching the show. But some were breathing a huge sigh of relief because they feel as though Gomora writers are not doing the character any justice.

Such a powerful actor bored a lot of viewers because they feel he should be given a more stronger role, not the one of Don.

One of the viewers said, “Don storyline is stupid and doesn’t make sense, how does a person with money act like a hobbo and stay in people’s houses by force you loosing it Gomora was coming right but this is pure nonsense,” @Luv5Preet said.

Speaking about his character when he joined, he told Daily Sun, “I’ll be playing Don. He had a relationship with Zodwa, played by Sannah Mchunu, and they had Teddy. He dumped Zodwa for a rich woman and went to live in mansions. Unfortunately, the woman recently died,” he told the paper.

“Now he’s down and out as the wife’s family took everything and he has returned to Alex. He’ll come back with his daughter Sibongile. Don will also be competition for Mam’Sonto, played by Connie Chiume. He struggles a lot after returning and ends up getting into hijacking. Soon he starts taking over Sonto’s operations.

“Don is coming to take over but people will love him because he’s funny. There will be sadness, sorrow, action and more importantly, drama.”

Legendary Actor Israel Zulu Got Locked At Age 12 For Stealing A Car – WATCH

Today was another lit episode of Podcast And Chill with Mac G and the episode did not disappoint. One of the best we’ve seen in a while. They had actor Israel Zulu as their guest. He touched on many aspects of his life; from prison, sex, his father and more.

At 12 l stole a car in orange Grove. I used to steal strictly from whites.

It is common knowledge that Matseke-Zulu was once involved in criminal activity which landed him an eight-year jail sentence but it was during his time in jail that he formed his own prison theatre group called the Abanqobi Drama Group. His work with said group the caught the attention of the Yizo Yizo directors during one of their visits to prisons as part of a Yizo Yizo road show.

“I can survive without sex. For 6 months or a year. I stayed for four years. I’m not sex crazy.” Were the words echoed by the legend, leaving Sol and Ma G in disbelief. “You must be strong. That’s a top secret of the success of a man. People who don’t have sex a lot are rich,” he said.

Zulu explained by he has a double-barrel surname. “Matseke is my mother’s surname and Zulu is my biological father’s surname. I combined the two surnames.”

On His Biological Father

“My biological father grew up in Alexandra. From Alexandra to Tembisa. But when I was young, I never had his presence in my life. I started to know my father when I was 14. And then we didn’t spend too much time with him before he passed away. He wasn’t well. Not to say he abandoned me. He was a hero. He was the type of good guys in the world. Unfortunately, the world was not on his side. I grew with my mother, my grandmother, aunts. I was raised by women.”

On His Step Father

“You know stepfathers. I’m not his child. If a child is not your child, I don’t believe you will have true love. My half-brother is his son. Maybe I’m his son, I don’t know. Only the mothers know. But we never had a good relationship between me and him. He had a division. He liked his son more than anybody. So me I became my own father since I was eleven. I was independent, I was a father figure for myself, and the family as well. Because I didn’t have a shoulder to cry on.

Israel also revealed that his stepfather used to abuse him. “He did abuse me physically. He used to beat me for no reason. Because maybe I was a threat. I was deprived of a lot of things. My brother was taken to Durban, bought beautiful clothes…”

On Not Attending His Step Father’s Funeral

“He passed away. But I never went to the funeral. I had a trip to Cape Town. I think I was shooting something. But I don’t regret it. It’s fair. If you didn’t plough something – don’t expect to bear the fruits. It’s an eye for an eye.”

The star, who’s now joined Gomora Mzansi also revealed that at the age of 18 he was arrested five times or seven times. Check out the full interview below.