Cape Town – Medical parolees Jacob Zuma and Schabir Shaik were recorded having a splendid evening at the opening of a restaurant, coincidently named “Zuma”, amid the controversy surrounding their medical paroles.
Last week, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) dismissed Zuma’s medical parole appeal, saying he must return to prison.
Zuma was granted parole by the department of correctional services in early September – just weeks after he was incarcerated for 15 months for ignoring a court order to testify before a judicial panel probing corruption during his nine-year tenure which lasted until 2018.
Shaik, on the other hand, was released on medical parole in 2009, after serving two years and four months of his 15-year prison term, after having been declared “terminally ill”, according to The Citizen.
“The Media Thought They Would Meet On The Golf Course But They Met At Zuma Restaurant,” Dudu Zuma, Jacob Zuma’s daughter, posted on Twitter.
“Now You Know I Had To Give The Haters Chest Pains,” she added.
The Media Thought They Would Meet On The Golf Course But They Met At Zuma Restaurant
(Now You Know I Had To Give The Haters Chest Pains…) pic.twitter.com/fHUBr0s86U
— Dudu Zuma-Sambudla (@DZumaSambudla) November 25, 2022
The post received a lot of criticism from tweeps ranging from citizens to politicians.
“This restaurant will probably be used to clean money for RET forces,” said @kwenasekwele.
“That’s fantastic! I’m so glad for your Dad and your family that he is healthy and will live. God is good. Now they both can go back to jail as well,” said @BellvillePiet.
“Amazing how quickly you turn around at deaths door when released from prison,” wrote @AngelaLiesenbe2.
Meanwhile, Former Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Hellen Zille asked: “Weren’t these guys at death’s door when they were released from prison?”
Weren’t these guys at death’s door when they were released from prison? https://t.co/hRZHsyrjky
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) November 26, 2022
Although the restaurant is named Zuma, the former president of South Africa has no affiliation with it besides being a customer.
The restaurant – located at the Pearls of uMhlanga, north of Durban – is reportedly owned by Durban businessman and restaurateur David Manal.
According to IOL, Manal said that Zuma is an internationally renowned brand.
“Zuma restaurant is a well-known brand internationally, there are more than 11 such restaurants around the world, and Zuma is a trademark. South African ‘Zuma’ is solely owned and trademarked by myself.
“‘Zuma’s restaurant is a contemporary infusion, Mediterranean and Asian (Mediterranean). We had the honour to have our former president to be part of our opening,” Manal said.
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Picture: Twitter/ @DZumaSambudla
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Compiled by Junaid Benjamin
