Former president Jacob Zuma. Picture: Michel Bega
Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen has called for the immediate detention of former president Jacob Zuma.
This comes after the Constitutional Court on Thursday dismissed a bid to overturn the Supreme Court of Appeal’s (SCA) November 2022 ruling that former Correctional Services commissioner Arthur Fraser’s decision to grant Zuma medical parole was unlawful.
The apex court 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.
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Steenhuisen has warned that should the former president fail to hand himself over, they will call for his arrest.
“Should Mr Zuma fail to adhere to this request, we will write to the national commissioner for Correctional Services, Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale, calling for him to arrest Mr Zuma and return him to Estcourt Correctional Centre. If either of these parties fail to comply, they will be in contempt of court.”
Steenhuisen added that the party will also pursue Zuma for other charges he’s facing.
“Aside from the Constitutional Court judgment confirming the illegal granting of medical parole for Mr Zuma’s 15-month jail sentence for contempt of court, the DA will continue to pursue a litany of charges which still remain against his name.
“Mr Zuma still faces close to 800 charges of fraud, corruption, and racketeering for which he must answer to the people of South Africa,” said Steenhuisen.
On Thursday, the Jacob Zuma 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 pres 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’