Back to jail? Zuma to learn fate on Thursday

Former president Jacob Zuma is expected to learn whether he should go back to prison or not on Thursday

Acting national commissioner of Correctional Services Makgothi Thobakgale last week indicated a public announcement would be made on whether Zuma would have to go back to jail to serve his 15-month sentence after being released on medical parole.

The Department of Correctional last week said it had received representations from relevant parties on the incarceration term for Zuma. 

Submissions

Thobakgale asked for submissions and said a decision would be made within 10 days, with the deadline expiring on Thursday.

“Correctional Services is able to confirm it has received representations from relevant parties. The next phase is for the national commissioner to consider every material received. Mr Thobakgale will make his decision on, or before, 10 August.”

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Not a free man

Earlier in July, the Jacob Zuma Foundation said it found it “very bizarre” the former president needed to make more submissions to Thobakgale regarding his prison term.

Foundation spokesperson, Mazwanele Manyi, said when Zuma was placed on medical parole by the DCS, “he was still not a free man”.

“He could not even do the required African rituals ahead of the burying of his brother.  President Zuma was not even allowed to hold press briefings and had to report his movements to the designated Correctional Services officer. No free person does this,” Manyi said.

Jailed

Zuma, who was jailed in July 2021 for defying a Constitutional Court order to appear at the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into allegations of state capture, was released on medical parole in September 2021 by Arthur Fraser, then national commissioner of Correctional Services.

In July 2023, the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) dismissed the DCS’s appeal application relating to Zuma‘s release on parole, effectively placing the former president’s fate back into the hands of Thobakgale.

ALSO READ: ‘Need for Zuma to make more submissions about prison sentence bizarre’ – Manyi