Cape Town – The correctional services department has reportedly been billed almost R400 000 for former president Jacob Zuma’s medical care at a private hospital.
According to News24, the department may foot those costs because of Zuma’s status as a former president.
“To date, we have been billed for R398 271. He (Zuma) remains in hospital, which means that this bill is likely to increase,” the report quoted department spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo as saying.
Businesstech reported on Wednesday that taxpayers could be footing the bill for Zuma’s stay in private hospitals.
“Prisoners are typically sent to state hospitals for medical care, but in some cases they can use private facilities if they can afford it,” the report said.
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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.
Zuma’s parole has angered opposition and civil society groups, which suspect it was a politically inspired move and want answers.
“It’s extremely suspicious,” John Steenhuisen, leader of the largest opposition Democratic Alliance said. “This is a political decision, not a medical decision.”
He and other opposition figures have vowed to force the prisons to publish details outlining the steps taken to reach the parole decision.
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Mmusi Maimane, leader of pressure group One South Africa movement, said the action demonstrated that “if you are politically connected, the inside of the prison is not a place for you”.
But a prisons official insisted the decision was above board and based on doctors’ conclusions.
“Mr Zuma does require a great deal of medical attention” and met the criteria for medical parole, the official said, while declining to disclose Zuma’s illness.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
Additional reporting by AFP
