DURBAN – The decision of the North Gauteng High Court sitting in Pretoria, to set aside the medical parole granted to former President Jacob Zuma has set the cat among the pigeons, with one of the supporters of the former head of state even calling for “protests”.
On Wednesday, the high court ruled that the medical parole that freed Zuma on September 5 this year, two months into his 15 months sentence for contempt of the Constitutional Court, is null and void.
Furthermore, the court ordered that Zuma should be sent back to the dark rooms of Estcourt prison in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands where he was booked for his jail term.
In part of its 34-page long judgement, the high court said the decision by former prisons boss, Arthur Fraser, saw Zuma serving three months at home instead of in a cell, as directed by the Constitutional Court.
BREAKING NEWS: This is part of the North Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) ruling which set aside the medical parole of former President Jacob Zuma. The now nullified parole was sanctioned by former DCS boss, Arthur Fraser, and it came into effect on September 5. @IOL @IOLPolitics pic.twitter.com/GuSmvsyKWp
It also said that reports showed that Zuma was not terminally ill just like how the parole board whose decision was overruled by Fraser said. That was because Zuma was seen in a meeting in Durban with close supporters and he even virtually addressed a rally convened by his supporters in Durban.
“The Commissioner has unlawfully mitigated the punishment imposed by the Constitutional Court, thereby rendering the Constitutional order ineffective, which undermines the respect for the courts, for the rule of law and for the Constitution itself,” reads part of the ruling.
One of the most vocal supporters of Zuma, Carl Niehaus, slammed the ruling, saying the judiciary is captured and is now used to fight factional political battles.
“First of all, let me state that this ruling is an outrage because… the initial sentence was illegal and carried out by the Constitutional Court without a trial,” he said, adding that Zuma’s health condition has been ignored and justice has been ignored.
This is gross injustice, @PresJGZuma was illegally imprisoned without a trial in the first place. Our courts are fully captured. All South Africans who believe in justice must totally oppose Nxamalala's return to jail! #HandsOffMsholozi! https://t.co/xymVhYkqh4
Asked whether he was not worried that the ruling may not spark another unrest like the July one where over 300 people died in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng and scores of businesses were looted, he said “I hope not.”
However, Niehaus said people must protest against the ruling ad do so in an orderly manner.
“I call on our people to register their protest, but they must do so peacefully and legally,” he said.
The spokesperson of the department of correctional services, Singabakho Nxumalo, said they are still studying the judgement and will make announcements in due course.
“The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) notes the judgement delivered on 15 December 2021 by the Gauteng Division of the High Court, Pretoria, on the medical parole placement of the former President, Mr Jacob Zuma. DCS is currently studying the judgment and in due course, we will make further pronouncements,” he said.
The department was cited as a respondent in the court action, which was initiated by the DA and the Helen Suzman Foundation.
The SAPS, which was found wanting in July and slammed for incapacity, is yet to comment about its readiness to counter any violent protest and looting if Zuma is jailed again.
Political Bureau