Lungani Zungu
Jacob Zuma’s supporters can go to his Nkandla homestead to welcome him back from jail, but they will not even catch a glimpse of him.
A prayer is planned for 14 October to welcome the former president home after his release on medical parole on 5 September from his 15-month jail sentence.
He was arrested on 7 July for defying two court orders.
One of the organisers, Bishop Vusi Dube, told Scrolla.Africa they will not compromise Zuma’s health.
“We can’t ask him to leave the house and go outside where we will be holding our prayer because he is still recovering,” said Dube.
Another worry was that they don’t know his parole conditions, he said.
“We don’t want him to break any parole rules and find himself in more legal trouble. That is why we are treading on the side of caution.”
Dube, who is also an ANC member of the provincial legislature (MPL), said they would keep the number of people attending under 2,000 in line with level 1 lockdown regulations.
“We will have a final meeting on Tuesday where we will finalise everything,” he said.
He wouldn’t say whether Zuma was bedridden or not.
“What matters is that he is sick, and we should respect that and pray for him to recover speedily.”
There are many questions about Zuma’s health after he was released under dubious circumstances by his well-known associate Arthur Fraser, now-former commissioner of correctional services.
Even the plans for Zuma’s welcome back event have been confusing.
First, the JG Zuma Foundation asked that Zuma be given privacy on Thursday.
Zuma’s brother Khanya had also told Scrolla.Africa that all events to welcome Zuma will be put on hold.
A day later, on Friday, the foundation changed its tune and announced the welcome back prayer meeting.
The foundation announced that faith-based NGOs and political parties were invited.
Meanwhile, Zuma will know on 26 October if his application to remove state prosecutor advocate Billy Downer from his Arms Deal case has succeeded or not.
