Back to prison? Correctional services to decide Zuma’s fate by Thursday

The department of correctional services will next week decide whether former president Jacob Zuma should return to prison.

Nearly a month ago, the Constitutional Court dismissed the department‘s appeal against the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) ruling that Zuma’s medical parole was unlawful.

It was left to national commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale to decide whether the time Zuma spent on medical parole should count as time served.

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Thobakgale asked for submissions on the decision, and correctional services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said on Friday a decision would be made by next 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,”

He said the decision would be made public.

Zuma mum

Asked whether he has made submissions to the department ahead of its decision, Zuma referred the matter to his foundation’s spokesperson, Mzwanele Manyi.

“I’m not a spokesperson.”

Manyi had earlier said the foundation found it “very bizarre” Zuma would need to make more submissions to Thobakgale ahead of the 4 August deadline.

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Zuma was jailed in July 2021 after the Constitutional Court sentenced him to 15 months’ imprisonment for contempt of court, after he failed to comply with an order to appear before the state capture inquiry. 

He was released on medical parole in September 2021 by former prison boss Arthur Fraser.

Additional reporting by Molefe Seeletsa and Faizel Patel