Cape Town – The Department of Correctional Services will announce its decision on whether former president Jacob Zuma will return to prison by next Thursday.
Last month, the Constitutional Court upheld the Supreme Court of Appeal’s ruling that Zuma’s release on medical parole, after serving only two months of a 15-month contempt of court sentence, was unlawful.
The responsibility to determine if the time spent on medical parole counts towards his sentence lies with the acting Commissioner of Correctional Services, Makgothi Thobakgale.
He has solicited submissions from interested parties before making his decision, which will be announced publicly.
“Correctional Services is able to confirm that it has received representations from relevant parties on the incarceration term for the former President, Mr Jacob Zuma. The next phase is for the National Commissioner, Mr Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale to consider every material received, the judgment of the Supreme Court of Appeal and prescripts within the space of Corrections. Mr Thobakgale is to make his decision on or before 10 August,” Department of Correctional Services spokesperson , Singabakho Nxumalo said on Friday.
Both AfriForum and the Democratic Alliance have called for a prompt resolution, criticising the delay in reaching a verdict.
STATEMENT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
REPRESENTATIONS RECEIVED ON MR ZUMA’S INCARCERATION pic.twitter.com/t4ZigWkmR4
— Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services 🇿🇦 (@Min_JCS) August 4, 2023
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: Getty Images
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
