The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) would hear an appeal on the release of former president Jacob Zuma from prison on medical parole, it said on Wednesday.
The SCA, which would hear the appeal on August 15, ordered that the appellants’ heads of argument be filed on June 1 and July 1, respectively.
In September last year, former Correctional Services commissioner Arthur Fraser resolved to release the former statesman on medical parole, but Gauteng High Court judge Elias Matojane ruled in December 2021 that Fraser’s decision was unlawful.
Matojane ordered that the former president returns to jail to serve the remainder of his 15-month sentence levied by the Constitutional Court.
Zuma was arrested in July 2021 for being in contempt of court after he was found guilty by the apex court for failing to appear before the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture.
Last week, the high court in Pietermaritzburg postponed Zuma’s corruption and arms deal trial to August 15 as the former statesman awaits the outcome of his reconsideration application from the SCA.
Zuma asked SCA’s Judge President Mandisa Maya to reconsider his application for leave to appeal after the high court’s dismissal of his special plea. In the special plea, he asked for the recusal of lead prosecutor advocate Billy Downer, whom he accuses of leaking his medical records.
However, the high court found that the application did not have a reasonable prospect of success. Maya is yet to make a decision. Downer said at the time that Maya had not seen the application, telling the court that he was informed that [the SCA decision] “is on its way”.
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