Celani Sikhakhane
The decision to place former President Jacob Zuma on medical parole was taken by the National Commissioner of Correctional Services Arthur Fraser without the approval of the medical parole advisory board.
Fraser made this admission on Wednesday night during an interview with the SABC’s 24 hour news Channel.
Fraser admitted that the medical parole advisory board did not approve medical parole and found in fact that Zuma was in a stable condition. The decision to release Zuma was taken by Fraser alone.
Fraser insisted that his decision, which came into effect on Sunday, was perfectly legal. Fraser, a Zuma ally, has only two months left to run on his contract.
Zuma was serving a 15-month sentence for contempt of the Constitutional Court and he started his sentence at Estcourt prison on July 8 this year before he went to hospital.
The decision is being challenged by the Democratic Alliance, the Helen Suzman Foundation and Afriforum.
The Suzman Foundation, which is threatening legal action, has written a letter requesting the medical details of Zuma to be given to them not later than 5 pm on the 13th of September 2021.
The foundation says that the decision to grant Zuma medical parole should have been in accordance with the rule of law.
Zuma is still in a private hospital which has already cost the Department of Correctional Services close to R400 000.
