Ronald Lamola speaks about Jacob Zuma’s release during his visit in Nkomazi

The justice and correctional services minister, Ronald Lamola, has assured citizens there was nothing sinister and political about former state president Jacob Zuma’s get-out-of-jail-free card.

Speaking to Mpumalanga News during the official opening of the Nkomazi Paralegal Services on Saturday August 13, where he was guest speaker, Lamola explained that the former ANC number one was released on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s approval of a ‘special remission’ system for low-risk inmates. Lamola’s interview with this paper comes just a day after the Department of Correctional Services announced that Zuma had been released from its system, on Friday August 11, meaning he was now a free man.

“There is absolutely nothing amiss or political about Zuma’s release. There is also nothing wrong with the president’s special remission. This progamme will see a number of low-risk and elderly inmates being released from prisons,” said Lamola.

The former ANC and country president was sentenced by the Constitutional Court on June 29, 2021, after he was found guilty of contempt of court after defying orders to appear before the Zondo Commission. The widely publicised Zondo Commission was set up by Zuma to probe allegations of state capture. After he was found guilty, Zuma was sentenced to 15 months behind bars.

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On July 7, 2021, Zuma handed himself over to the police, who escorted him to the Estcourt Correctional Centre to begin his 15-month jail term. In retaliation, some citizens took matters into their own hands, and literally set the country on fire. Zuma was, however, released on medical parole in September 2021, after serving only two months of his 15-month term.

At the time of his release, the Department of Correctional Services explained Zuma’s medical parole meant he would have to finish the remainder of his sentence in the system of community corrections.

Last year, the South African Supreme Court of Appeal ruled that the decision to release Zuma on early medical parole was unlawful, and ordered that he should return to finish his sentence. Zuma launched an appeal, which he lost, and on Friday, he returned to the Estcourt Correctional Centre to finish his term, but after processing, was released on the special remission. The Mpumalanga ANC has welcomed the decision by Ramaphosa to release Zuma and other offenders using Section 84(2) of the Constitution of the Republic, which explicitly outlines the president’s powers in relation to reprieving offenders and remitting any fines, penalties or forfeitures.

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“The decision by the president reaffirms the democratic government’s philosophy of correcting, rehabilitating and successful reintegrating offenders back into society as speedily as it is practically possible, as opposed to being punitive and inflicting unnecessary pain on offenders. We would like to commend Jacob Zuma for co-operating with law enforcement agencies and our judiciary throughout these trying times.

By doing so he affirmed a sacrosanct principle of the constitution he fought for, which is that no one is above the law, irrespective of their social status and position they occupy. We also encourage all justice-loving and law-abiding South Africans to embrace this decision, which was taken within the limits of the law and in the interest of our young democracy,” said the party’s provincial secretary, Muzi Chirwa.
“The Mpumalanga ANC further acknowledges all those who received the remittance from the president, and wish they integrate themselves with the communities where they will settle.”