Bongani Bingwa speaks to Department of Correctional Services spokesperson – Singabakho Nxumalo on their appeal against the ruling on former president Jacob Zuma that upheld his medical parole as illegal.
Will former president Jacob Zuma be sent back to prison?
As the Department of Correctional Services mulls over this decision, it now wants further clarity from the courts.
The department has filed leave to appeal the judgment handed down by the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in Bloemfontein on Zuma’s medical parole.
It comes after the SCA dismissed with costs Zuma’s appeal against the setting aside of his medical parole by the Pretoria High Court.
The department said it’s convinced that another court may arrive at a different conclusion.
Bongani Bingwa spoke to the department’s spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo.
After perusing that judgment, our lawyers had a strong view that the Supreme Court of Appeal was in no way different from the decision of the High Court, save for the two paragraphs of that order of the High Court which was set aside. The department feels the issue has to be taken on appeal so we can get clarity.
Singabakho Nxumalo, Department of Correctional Services spokesperson
Asked if there was some political influence in the department’s decision, Nxumalo refuted this.
He said they were guided by the law and the mandate of the Correctional Services Act.
He insists the judgement has an error that needs to be clarified.
Nxumalo said it all comes down to the basis of the interpretation and application of the Correctional
Services Act and other relevant prescripts.
South Africa interfaces with people in different forms. For some its direct imprisonment, for others its parole after serving some time. We have more than 70,000 people in our system, so how do we deal with people sentenced for 24 months? There’s quite a number of areas that require attention.
Singabakho Nxumalo, Department of Correctional Services spokesperson
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