By: Natasha Archary
The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has ruled former President Jacob Zuma’s medical parole as unlawful. The ruling sanctions that Zuma should return to prison to see out the rest of his sentence.
Zuma was sentenced to 15-months in prison for contempt of court after he refused to appear before the Zondo commission.
Zuma’s legal team contends they have strong legs to appeal the ruling, given the nature of the case.
According to the Jacob Zuma Foundation, the life-threatening implications of the judgement and public interest hold a compelling argument before a higher court.
“Remanding Zuma to prison is tantamount to a death sentence,” is his lawyers response.
“It’s in public interest that “provisions of the law should not be rewritten simply to mete out perpetual punishment to one individual. Sacrificing him and his rights at the altar of political enmity and inhumane hatred/racism on part of his heartless persecutors.”
Judge Keoagile Elias Matojane dismissed his lawyers arguments that incarcerating Zuma once again will reignite unrest.
In July, looting incidents gripped Kwazulu-Natal and Gauteng when Zuma was ordered to hand himself over to police.
Judge Matojane said that threats of riots and unrest is not grounds for releasing an offender on medical parole.
Meanwhile, one of Zuma’s biggest allies, Carl Niehaus has called on all South Africans to oppose the ruling.
DA leader John Steenhuisen has welcome the ruling and said that any time Zuma spent on medical parole should not be included as part of his sentencing.
“We welcome the order that Mr Zuma’s medical parole be revoked immediately, that he be returned to the custody of Correctional Services to serve out the remainder of his sentence, that no time spent on medical parole is to be counted as time served and that he and Mr Arthur Fraser pay all legal costs,” Steenhuisen said.
