The Correctional Services Department says former president Jacob Zuma, was on Friday morning processed at the Estcourt prison, after handing himself in.
He will however not serve the remainder of the sentence, due to a remission process that non violent offenders have benefited from.
Last month, the Constitutional Court dismissed with costs the application by Correctional Services for leave to appeal against a Supreme Court of Appeal ruling regarding Zuma’s medical parole.
Justice and Correctional Services minister, says that the overcrowding in prisons was what informed the decision to institute the process that benefited Zuma, and other non violent offenders.
Lamola says Zuma had fulfilled the requirements of the court judgements and added that there was not interference from himself or President Cyril Ramaphosa, on the decision.
“Myself nor the president did not interfere with the decision of the national commissioner, we also allowed him to inform us of his decision- which he did, he informed me yesterday, about his decision about former president, that he is complying with the Supreme Court of Appeal judgement. The judgement that states that the former president must come back into the facility, the decision to release him was unlawful, and therefore he must be brought back and in that process, already the process of remission had already started in April.”
National Commissioner of Correctional Services, Makgotho Thobakgale says, “Although the SCA and the High Court both consider the decision of the then National Commissioner as unlawful, Mr Zuma was not discharged (released), but he was placed under community corrections where he continued serving his sentence, under strict conditions. Parole in South Africa is a form of punishment which is served by an inmate within the system of community corrections in terms of Chapter VI of the Correctional Services Act of 1998.”
Thobakgale says, “He was continuously under community corrections serving his sentence. He was never a free man with effect from 8 July 2021.
In compliance with the SCA Judgement, Mr Zuma did report back at Estcourt Correctional Centre. A consideration has been made as per legislation, including processes that were already unfolding in the management of correctional services. The administrative procedures have ensued and Mr Zuma has been processed accordingly.”
STATEMENT: Decision of the National Commissioner on the incarceration term of Zuma
National Commissioner of Correctional Services, Makgotho Thobakgale Addresses the media:
