The South African Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in Bloemfontein has reserved ruling on the medical parole case involving South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma.
According to the advocate Dali Mpofu, the former Correctional Services Commissioner Arthur Fraser granted Zuma medical parole within the ambit of the law, and it should therefore be sustained.
In his argument, the advocate stated that the court failed to establish that a terminal illness was one of the criteria for medical parole. He cited the Correctional Services Act as having empowered Fraser to protect inmates’ rights – in this case, by deciding to grant Zuma medical parole.
However, Max du Plessis, a senior counsel, countered that Fraser overlooked the recommendations of the Medical Parole Advisory Board, which recommended that Zuma should not be released.
Before the case ended up at the Supreme Court of Appeal, the High Court had declared Zuma’s release on medical parole illegal. The former president and the Department of Correctional Services has therefore approached the SCA to have the judgment upturned.
The SCA has reserved judgment, so expectations are pretty high over what the court might decide on next sitting.
By the way, Fraser is a well-known Zuma ally and served during the tenure of the former president.
