Israel Matseke Zulu is still alive. He was rumored to have passed away in late 2021, but it turned out to be untrue. The South African actor, poet, dancer, and singer, however, took a hiatus from his career due to poor health. He has since gotten better and is prepared to return.Â
Is Israel Matseke Zulu Dead?
The performer is still alive, so no he is not dead. Late in 2021, an online rumor about his demise began to circulate not long after the South African TV celebrity left the Gomora TV show. Some people believed he had perished away due to his quick exit from the show as a result of his poor health.
STATEMENT
Regarding erroneous and insensitive posts made yesterday about actor Israel Matseke Zulu passing away. pic.twitter.com/OkFQd3Jwqe
— Kgopolo (@PhilMphela) December 1, 2021
The actor denied the claim in a statement issued by his PR team. He also revealed that he left acting to devote all of his attention to getting his health restored.
Although some of his supporters first bought into the rumor, many of them acknowledged that they were aware it was untrue. Some of them demanded harsh punishment for those who circulated such false rumours while others wished him many more years so that he could continue to entertain them.
The actor’s sore leg may have led to the false perception of his demise.
What Happened to Israel Matseke Zulu’s Leg?
Isreal Matseke Zulu’s leg was amputated in 2021 after gangrene, a condition that left him partially disabled. The actor’s ordeal started out as a small leg ache that he thought was fading.
He persisted in using narcotics until his friends persuaded him to get help. After some testing by the doctors, it was determined that he had gangrene.
Gangrene is a condition in which the body’s tissues begin to deteriorate as a result of insufficient blood flow to the affected area. Legs, toes, fingers, and feet are the main areas affected.
Israel Matseke was Forced to Leave Gomora Due to the Pain
The actor had to be wheeled several times to the Gomora set because of his condition. In November 2021, he finally made an announcement through his agency that he had left the show because he was semi-paralyzed and couldn’t continue.
He claimed that his poor health had prevented him from giving his best effort, and he had decided that it would be better for him to leave the program to devote all of his attention to finding a cure. The producers complied with his request to be removed from the show at that point.
Matseke acknowledged that despite having persistent leg problems, he was unaware that he had gangrene. According to him, the condition became worse while filming Gomora in the year 2021.
Fans of the actor were shocked and saddened by the actor’s departure from Gomora. They nonetheless wished him a speedy recovery and hoped he would return to the set soon to play more exciting roles.
He Repeatedly Postponed his Scheduled Amputation Before Finally Going Through with the Procedure
After the diagnosis, Israel agreed to have his leg amputated because the pain was too great for him to handle. However, the actor frequently changed his doctor’s appointment for an amputation. He shared that after canceling the treatment four times, his friend finally persuaded him to go through with it.
Zulu disclosed that the key factor that caused him to reconsider the amputation was his doctors’ plan to amputate him above the knee, whereas the sickness was near his toes. This caused him to change his mind multiple times.
The actor, however, admitted that he could not have been cut because the illness was caught in time for treatment. Matseke revealed that he had been in discomfort for years until his gangrene fully manifested in August 2021. He was constantly in pain for about six to seven years.
After spending four weeks at the Rob Ferreira Hospital in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, the actor underwent a successful amputation treatment.
The Celebrity Actor is Fast Recovering
The actor stated in his last interview with the media in February 2022 that he still had two doctor’s visits before starting the process of putting his leg into a prosthetic limb, which he admitted was a pricey procedure.
Since the interview, there hasn’t been anything mentioned in the media regarding the actor’s condition. It is believed that he is in excellent condition and that he will undoubtedly recover stronger.
Despite the setback in his career, Isreael Matseke Zulu does not currently have any plans to stop acting. There’s a chance he might get cast on Gomora if he wants to return to the show.
The actor played the brutal gangster Don in the television series. Gomora was also the last job he was working on before his leg was amputated.
