HSF: Arthur Fraser’s override of just one negative parole suggestion means one thing
The Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) says the fact that Arthur Fraser only overrode one of the 100 negative recommendations the Medical Parole Advisory Board (MPAB) gave during his tenure, can only mean one thing.
“His deviation in only Mr Zuma’s case out of one hundred others can only mean that Mr Fraser knew full well that he was acting unlawfully by treating Mr Zuma as an exception and for reasons that had little to do with his medical treatment,” Christopher Fisher, the HSF’s lead researcher, said.
On the back of cases brought by the foundation – as well as the Democratic Alliance (DA) and AfriForum – the Pretoria High Court last December ruled that Fraser’s decision to release Zuma on medical parole was unlawful. And the case is now before the Supreme Court of Appeal, which is expected to give its ruling on Monday.
In the meantime, one of the core points of tension is Fraser’s insistence that he had the power to overrule the board’s recommendation, which the High Court found he didn’t.
Fisher says, though, that figures the department has provided Eyewitness News – which show Zuma was the only inmate in whose parole application Fraser ever intervened the way he did – are telling.
“They are precisely what one would expect if Mr Fraser has never had the power to overrule the MPAB’s recommendation that medical parole be refused – which is what the High Court confirmed last year,” he said.
The DA’s spokesperson for Correctional Services Janho Engelbrecht said the figures spoke to just how special was Zuma’s treatment.
“The fact of the matter is that yes, this was special treatment to get Mr Zuma out of jail”.
He said Zuma’s release was cadre deployment at work.
Last month, Cabinet presented the national framework toward the implementation of professionalisation of the Public Sector, which moves away from cadre deployment. This was part of its response to the Zondo report and on the back of mounting pressure from the DA, including in the form of court action it instituted.
Fraser’s appointment was mired in controversy.
He became commissioner from the position of director-general of the State Security Agency and while he was under investigation for his involvement in the Principal Agent Network (PAN) Programme – for which the State Capture Commission has since recommended Fraser be criminally investigated.
The DA challenged his appointment.
Said Engelbrecht: “When the DA challenged his appointment, Mr Ramaphosa defended it. From our perspective this is probably the best example of how destructive the ANC cadre deployment policies are for the country.
AfriForum’s Ernst Roets further said Zuma’s release was an “obvious” case of political meddling.
“The more we discover about what happened here, the more the evidence compels us to conclude that this is an obvious case of political mingling in the justice system,” he said,
“The justice system is not only the courts, but includes commissions, officials and departments tasked with ensuring that justice prevails. This sends a clear signal that the independence and efficacy of South Africa’s justice system has already been compromised. This is why it’s so important for civil society to get more actively involved”.
-EWN
In other news – Things you didn’t know about Amapiano pioneer, DJ Sumbody
Condolences have been pouring in since the sad news of the untimely passing of Amapiano pioneer and businessman DJ Sumbody.
According to a statement from his management, Sumsounds Music, the Ayepyep musician — whose real name is Oupa John Sefoka — died in the early hours of Sunday morning, 20 November. Although his management has refrained from revealing his cause of death due to an ongoing police investigation, Learn More
