Cape Town – The Helen Suzman Foundation has reportedly launched a legal challenge in the High Court in Pretoria, demanding an explanation from correctional services boss Arthur Fraser on the reasons behind his decision to place former president Jacob Zuma on medical parole.
“We have concerns as an organisation about whether the decision was taken in compliance with the relevant legislation and regulations, particularly as the medical parole advisory board did not recommend parole,” EWN quoted the foundation’s Chelsea Ramsden as saying.
Zuma, who was jailed for 15 months for contempt of court after snubbing graft investigators, was on September 5, granted medical parole.
The 79-year-old has been hospitalised since August 6 at a health facility outside the prison where he had been incarcerated for ignoring a court order to testify before a judicial panel probing corruption during his nine-year tenure which lasted until 2018.
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Fraser admitted during an interview with SABC’s Vuyo Mvoko that he alone decided to grant medical parole to Zuma.
Fraser said that after assessments, the medical parole advisory board “did not approve medical parole” because Zuma was “in a stable condition”.
He, however, stood by his decision to overrule this and release the former president because the correctional services department realised that they had a person in their custody who was “frail and required specialised treatment”.
“I rescinded that and took the decision then to place him (Zuma) on medical parole and I’ve given a host of reasons. The reasons are available. It’s in documentation, and it will be presented to whoever needs to see that. I’m sure parliament will be asking,” Fraser said.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
Additional reporting by AFP
