Cape Town – Correctional Services Commissioner Arthur Fraser has admitted that he alone decided to grant medical parole to former South African president Jacob Zuma.
Fraser disclosed this during an interview with SABC’s Vuyo Mvoko on Wednesday night.
Zuma, who was jailed for 15 months for contempt of court after snubbing graft investigators, was on Sunday 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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Zuma’s parole has angered opposition and civil society groups, which suspect it was a politically inspired move and want answers.
Fraser revealed that Zuma declared his comorbidities.
“With regards to any person that has to take parole, there is procedures, there is law…. He (Zuma) was placed on medical parole. He came into our facility. We have a responsibility to provide security and care. And as in all instances, when we admit a person into our facility, we make sure that we do a full assessment, including a health assessment.
Fraser said that after assessments, the medical parole advisory board “did not approve medical parole” because Zuma was “in a stable condition”.
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Fraser, 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“I rescinded that and took the decision then to place him (Zuma) on medical parole and I’ve given a host of reasons.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.
Watch the full interview below (courtesy SABC)
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
Additional reporting by AFP
