Zuma receiving treatment for undisclosed illness in Russia

The Jacob Zuma Foundation has confirmed that former president Jacob Zuma is unwell and seeking medical assistance in Moscow.

The news comes just a day after the Constitutional Court on Thursday dismissed a bid to overturn the Supreme Court of Appeal’s (SCA) November 2022 ruling that the decision of former Correctional Services Commissioner Arthur Fraser to grant Zuma medical parole was unlawful and set aside.

ALSO READ: Zuma’s parole: Correctional Services suffers defeat as ConCourt dismisses appeal

Zuma in Russia

The foundation’s spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi told The Citizen that the former president departed for Russia two weeks ago.

“He is not in the country and departed for Moscow two weeks ago to receive treatment for an illness.”

Manyi would not say what the former president was being treated for.

“That is doctor and patient confidentiality,” Manyi said.

Manyi also said it was unclear when Zuma would be returning to South Africa.

Arrest Zuma

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen has called for the immediate detention of the former president follwing the ruling by the apex court.

The ConCourt found the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) appeal “bears no reasonable prospect of success” and dismissed the application with costs.

Steenhuisen has welcomed the ConCourt’s judgment saying it is going to set an important precedent.

“This judgment now confirms that Mr Zuma belongs in jail, and that his vexatious litigation was a last desperate attempt to evade justice.

“The DA’s lawyers are currently drafting a letter which we will submit to Mr Zuma calling for him to voluntarily surrender himself to arrest within a reasonable timeframe,” Steenhuisen said.

Zuma Foundation

On Thursday, the foundation spokesperson, Mzwanele Manyi, said reports that the apex court ordered the former president to go back to jail are “malicious, misleading and hateful.”

“For the record, the media reports that the ConCourt ordered president Zuma to ‘go back to prison’ are malicious, misleading and hateful. Fact: The SCA, whose decision has been upheld by ConCourt, actually refused to grant that ridiculous order and referred the issue to the DCS to decide,” Manyi said.

Meanwhile, the DCS said it was studying the ConCourt’s judgment.

ALSO READ: Reports that ConCourt ordered Zuma to go back to jail are ‘malicious, misleading and hateful’