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#FreeJacobZuma campaign gives government 14 days to release the former president

16 July 2021, 7:40 PM |

Ntebo Mokobo | @SABCNews

Former president Jacob Zuma speaks to supporters who gathered at his home, after the Constitutional Court agreed to hear his challenge to a 15-month jail term, in Nkandla, South Africa, on July 4, 2021.

Image: Reuters

The #FreeJacobZuma campaign has given government 14 days to respond to its list of demands including the immediate release of the former president.

Zuma is currently serving a 15-month jail term for contempt of court after defying a Constitutional Court decision, ordering him to appear before the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.

The campaign organisers claim that the protests and the accompanying destruction of property over the past few days were as a result of the outpouring of anger from those supporting Zuma.

The Constitutional Court is yet to hand down judgment on Zuma’s rescission application. If it goes in his favour, he will be released but if not, he will have to stay in jail until he is eligible for parole after 3 months.

But the #FreeJacobZuma campaign wants him released in 14 days.

Some members of the group are suspected of instigating violence that has left almost 200 people dead in Kwa-Zulu-Natal and Gauteng.

Suspended MKMVA spokesperson, Carl Niehaus, says the claims are aimed at shifting of responsibility as they have warned government that Zuma’s arrest could lead to violence.

With the imminent arrest of some of those suspected of instigating the violence, another Zuma supporter, Andile Lungisa, says authorities have their priorities wrong. He says instead of harassing people calling for Zuma’s release, government should rather focus on improving the living conditions of the poor who were promised a better life when the ANC came into government in 1994.

Hashtag Free Jacob Zuma campaign update:

Alleged instigators

One of the people accused of being the instigators of the unrest, former State Security Agency top spy, Thulani Dlomo, handed himself over at the Durban Central Police Station.

He says the move was due to fear for his safety as well as that of his family.

It came a day after government revealed that one of the 12 alleged instigators of the riots is behind bars.

Acting Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, had revealed this to journalists, saying authorities were hot on the heels of the other 11.

Former State Security Agency top spy hands himself over to police: