By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has this morning confirmed that former President Jacob Zuma has been admitted to start serving a 15-month sentence at Estcourt Correctional Centre in KwaZulu-Natal.
The former statesman, 79, was sentenced to 15 months in jail on 29 June for defying an instruction to give evidence at an inquiry into corruption during his nine years in power.
“Zuma will be taken through all the admission processes as per DCS regulations. Other relevant prescripts pertaining to admitting and orientating newly incarcerated persons will also be followed and executed,” the department said in a statement.
Details about the appropriate classification, prerogatives and incarceration conditions can only be determined at the completion of the assessment process to be undertaken by relevant authorities within the employ of DCS.
“Keeping inmates in a safe and secure custody remains cardinal to Correctional Services and we remain committed to this cause,” the department said.
What they said:
ANC.
In a terse statement on Thursday morning, the ANC has noted that its former leader Jacob Zuma had complied with an order – albeit three days late – that he hand himself over to police to begin serving a 15-month prison sentence after being convicted of contempt by the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) last week.
The ruling party said this was a ‘difficult period for the movement’, urging its members to ‘remain calm and respect’ Zuma’s late-night accession to the ConCourt order that he serve a custodial sentence after his defiance of an order to appear before the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture.
The ANC also championed the Constitution and rule of law.
“The ANC has always restated its unequivocal commitment to, and defence of the Constitution, in particular the supremacy of the Constitution, the rule of law and independence of the judiciary, amongst the founding principles and values of the Republic of South Africa,” the ruling party said.
ActionSA.
ActionSA welcomes the arrest of former President Jacob Zuma, following the execution of the Constitutional Court’s order against him.
His arrest is a victory for the rule of law and affirms that no single individual is above the law and our Constitution.
Peace-loving and law-abiding South Africans want to see the laws of their country respected. Upholding the rule of law is a basic requirement for us to build an inclusive and prosperous future for all South Africans. Indeed, no country can function, and no economy can grow, in a state of chaos and anarchy. Having the order of the Constitutional Court enforced confirms that our judiciary still has the power to protect the rights of all South Africans,ActionSA said in a statement.
“Ultimately, the ANC must also take full responsibility for desecrating the rule of law through the creation of state capture and the corruption which has robbed millions of South Africans of much-needed service delivery. It is truly a shame that the face of this state capture is a former South African President – the damage done to our people and the country’s overall standing has been immense.”
Nelson Mandela Foundation.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation also welcomed the fact that former President Jacob Zuma has submitted himself to law enforcement in partial compliance with the order of the Constitutional Court handed down last week. However, we note that Mr Zuma failed to abide by the deadline set by the Constitutional Court, thus continuing a pattern of disregard for the rule of law and for our constitutional democracy.
As the recent judgment given by Justice Khampepe stated: “never before has the authority and legitimacy of the Constitutional Court been subjected to the kind of attacks that Mr Zuma has elected to launch against it and its members. Never before has the judicial process been so threatened.”
For nearly two decades now Mr Zuma has acted with impunity, and has encouraged cultures of impunity around him. As Sisonke Msimang has noted, “the thing about toxic masculinity is that it weaponises impunity. So, lying in the face of the nation IS the point. [Mr Zuma] and his spinners don’t expect anyone to believe them. They want us to know they don’t care.” His legal strategy has been one of obfuscation and delay, ultimately in an attempt to render our judicial processes unintelligible.
“We are profoundly disturbed by the willingness of Mr Zuma to court public violence and lawlessness in support of political and personal agendas. The scholarship of Mbongiseni Buthelezi has deconstructed the ways in which Mr Zuma mobilises both struggle era identities and ethnic identities for his own ends. This is extremely dangerous in the contexts of a country where the rule of law is under siege at so many levels.”
Solly Mapaila, SACP first deputy secretary-general:
“The imprisonment of Jacob Zuma has reaffirmed our constitutional democracy … of all other people, he [Zuma] should’ve known better that to comply with the Constitutional Court when they said he must go to the commission; he didn’t show respect for the rule of law.”