Johannesburg – The Democratic Alliance (DA) is putting pressure on the Department of Correctional Services to have former president Jacob Zuma back in prison “within 48 hours” after his medical parole was ruled unlawful.
DA leader John Steenhuisen on Tuesday revealed that his party was demanding Zuma’s rearrest.
“The DA yesterday sent a lawyers letter to acting national Commissioner of Correctional Services Mr. Thobakgale demanding that he confirms within 48 hours that he will ensure that Mr. Jacob Zuma is returned by 17h00 on Friday 25 November 2022 to the Estcourt Correctional Centre to serve out the remainder of his sentence,” Steenhuisen said.
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“This follows yesterdays ruling by the Supreme Court of Appeal that Zumas medical parole was indeed illegal, and that Zuma must therefore return to the Estcourt Correctional Centre to finish serving his 15-month prison sentence for failing to appear before the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture when called to do so.”
Steenhuisen said the DAs legal letter points out that Zuma was obliged by order to immediately return to the Estcourt Correctional Centre.
If he fails to do so within a reasonable time, the Commissioner of Correctional Services is obliged to ensure that he is returned “by arrest, if necessary”, the DA leader said.
“This case, National Commissioner of Correctional Services v Democratic Alliance, was brought by the DA because we are determined to ensure that the democratic principles of equality before the law and accountability are upheld,” said Steenhuisen.
However, legal experts say Zuma has the option of challenging the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) ruling at the Constitutional Court.
Reacting to the SCA judgment on Monday, J G Zuma Foundation Spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi said: The Foundation welcomes the fact that His Excellency President Zuma is not going to jail”.
Manyi added: “For us, a big win is the fact that President Zuma is not going back to jail, that is the bottom line, he is not free to do anything he wants to do he can go around strengthening his party and what a view all the work he wants to do.”
