Seasoned playwright Welcome Msomi suffered a diabetic coma and collapsed on Tuesday morning, just a week before he is due to appear in court for R8m fraud.

Msomi, who is on R200,000 bail, was admitted at St Augustine Hospital in Berea, Durban, where he is under observation. His lawyer Benito Mangolele has confirmed that Msomi collapsed and was still in hospital.

"We will see how he responds to the treatment in the next days," Mangolele said.

Msomi, 76, was arrested in March in connection with the disappearance of R8m from the Living Legends Legacy Programme trust account.

Mangolele said Msomi is due to appear in the South Gauteng High Court sitting in the Palm Ridge magistrate's court on Tuesday.

The theft happened in September on the day the money was transferred to the account by the department of arts and culture. The disappearance of the funds was discovered earlier this year by acting chairperson Letta Mbulu.

Msomi is currently living in Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natala, where he owns a house.