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Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is in a stable condition in a South African hospital after being airlifted from Harare after falling ill on Friday.

His spokesperson said that he was in stable condition, contrary to what local media in Zimbabwe had reported earlier.

“President Morgan Tsvangirai, who flew to South Africa for a routine medical procedure, is in a very stable condition contrary to morbid media reports that he is critical and is battling for his life,” Luke Tamborinyoka said.

Tsvangirai, 65, announced last year that he had been diagnosed with cancer of the colon and that he had begun chemotherapy.

Tamborinyoka said the former prime minister had urged Zimbabweans to turn out for voter registration in their multitudes ahead of next year’s elections.

Last month Tsvangirai signed a coalition deal with other smaller parties in a bid to defeat long serving President Robert Mugabe in the presidential poll.

The ruling ZANU-FP is however confident the 93-year-old will win another mandate.