Former president Jacob Zuma addressed supporters saying he was only exercising his freedom of speech when he made disparaging remarks about the judiciary and that was not a reason to send him to jail.
He said in South Africa everyone had a right to express disagreement with anyone including a judge.
One of the reasons the Constitutional Court slapped Zuma with direct imprisonment was his continuous attacks on the legislature.
“The vigour with which Mr Zuma is peddling his disdain of this court and the judicial process carries the further risk that he will inspire or incite others to similarly defy this court, the judicial process, and the rule of law,” said Justice Sisi Virginia Khampepe, who was the acting chief justice when she delivered the damning majority judgment.
Zuma was convicted of contempt of court in the Constitutional Court on Tuesday and sentenced to 15 months imprisonment.
The court ordered Zuma to hand himself over to a police station for processing into the prison system within five days. Sunday was the fifth day.
However, at the weekend Zuma’s lawyers secured a hearing with the ConCourt for Monday 12 July. It remains unclear if the order for the former president to report to the police had been put on halt.
The former president said police had been driving past his homestead many times. He joked that he thought they were coming to arrest him but because of his supporters they could not get to him.
Zuma said he had fought against the apartheid regime for the right to speak freely, something he said he expected judges to protect.
Addressing thousands of supporters in vernacular, Zuma narrated events that saw “a small matter” transform into a “huge matter”.
He spoke about how the judge of the commission of inquiry into state capture was selected.
The former president said it was supposed to be his prerogative to do so, but it was not to be.
Zuma said he noticed during his appearance at the commission that his rights not to answer questions were being taken away.
He said he then asked the chair of the commission Justice Raymond Zondo to recuse himself and he refused.
Zuma said he “smelt a conspiracy” and decided not to go back to the commission.
He said if those in power tried to “play” with his freedom it was right that people came out to defend his rights.
Zuma warned that any attempt to arrest him would bring back the violence of the past.
He told his supporters to standby with anyone whose rights were being unfairly taken away.
When Zuma broke into his favourite struggle song “Awuleth’ Umshini Wami” (Bring My Machine), the crowd responded and sang along.
Those in the know fear that the song is a call to arms.
The former president thanked his supporters for standing by him. He also thanked his legal team that included Advocate Dali Mpofu, saying it was because of them that he was “sleeping at home tonight”.
