Former president Jacob Zuma’s potential return to prison to serve the remainder of his 15-month sentence has become a subject of intense public scrutiny.
Acting Correctional Services commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale last week hinted at an imminent announcement on Thursday whether or not Zuma will be sent back to jail.
He disclosed that the department had received representations from various parties concerning Zuma’s incarceration term following a series of legal battles.
The Constitutional Court’s recent dismissal of Zuma’s application for leave to appeal has further compounded the situation.
The apex court’s ruling emphasized the unlawfulness of the medical parole granted to Zuma by former prisons head Arthur Fraser.
The order unequivocally directed Zuma to return to prison, marking a critical moment in the ongoing legal saga.
However, the final decision rests with the Department of Correctional Services.
It was in 2021 that former statesman found himself imprisoned for contempt of court after he defied an order from the Constitutional Court to appear before the state capture inquiry.
Subsequently, he was sentenced to 15 months in prison, a verdict that was met with mixed reaction by the nation.
However, Zuma’s time behind bars was notably brief.
After serving merely two months of his sentence, he was released from the Estcourt Correctional Centre on medical parole, a move that sparked controversy and legal challenges.
The legal wrangling surrounding Zuma’s fate reached an upsurge when Thobakgale announced the looming decision, with the decisive deadline falling on Thursday.
The spectre of Zuma’s potential return to prison has reignited debate about accountability, justice, and the rule of law in South Africa.
The public eagerly awaits this announcement, as it could mark a pivotal juncture in the unfolding legal drama surrounding the former president.
Department of Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said: “Commissioner Thobakgale is to make his decision on or before August 10 2023, and it will be communicated publicly.”
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