The Democratic Alliance (DA) has slammed the new special remission programme announced on Friday under which Jacob Zuma’s managed to dodge the remainder of his 15-month contempt sentence.
Last month, the Constitutional Court upheld the Supreme Court of Appeal’s ruling that found Zuma’s 2021 release from prison on medical parole was unlawful and that he must return to the Estcourt Correctional Centre.
Zuma was processed at around 6 am on Friday morning but was released less than two hours later in line with a new special remission programme, aimed at alleviating overcrowding in South African prisons.
The programme is set to benefit some 9,000 other inmates.
The DA’s John Steenhuisen called the decision a clear bid to keep Zuma out of prison.
“That was very, very clearly designed in a very cynical way to ensure Mr Zuma – once again – escapes accountability for his acts of omission and commission in South Africa.”
Steenhuisen said Zuma was released under false pretence and raised concern over the looming release of convicted criminals.
“The president [Cyril Ramaphosa] was also required to release almost 10,000 criminals back onto the streets of South Africa where no doubt – with the high recidivism rates in South Africa – will be perpetrating crimes against the people of South Africa before too long.”
-EWN
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