Zuma’s parole set aside

By: Staff Reporter

Former President Jacob Zuma’s release from prison on medical parole has been declared unlawful and set aside by the High Court in Pretoria.

Judge Elias Matojane on Wednesday handed down a judgement which found that Arthur Fraser’s decision to place the Zuma on medical parole was not in line with the Correctional Services Act.

Also read: Something has gone terribly wrong in our country

“The medical parole decision is substituted with a decision rejecting the third Respondent’s application for medical parole. It is hereby directed that the third Respondent be returned to the custody of the Department of Correctional Services to serve out the remainder of his sentence of imprisonment,” Matojane said.

He further stated that the time he spent outside prison doesn’t count towards his 15 months sentence.

“It is declared that the time the Third Respondent was out of jail on medical parole should not be counted for the fulfillment of the Third Respondent’s sentence of 15 months imposed by the Constitutional Court,” he said.

Also read: Zuma’s ’unmistakable line of march’

Zuma’s legal team has, however, appealed against the judgement. Zuma’s foundation spokesperson, Mzwanele Manyi, said the application was launched because the judgment was wrong. There are strong prospects that a higher court will reach a different conclusion.

Manyi cited section 17 of the Superior Courts Act, which includes seven subsections on grounds for leave to appeal.

The Department of Correctional Services has also said they will be appealing the judgment handed down by the Gauteng Division of the High Court, on the medical parole placement of the former President.