Judge Elias Matojane has reserved judgment in the application to have former president Jacob Zuma’s medical parole set aside and has endeavored to deliver his ruling as soon as possible.
The Helen Suzman Foundation, the DA and lobby group AfriForum approached the High Court in Pretoria in a bid to review and set aside Correctional Services Commissioner Arthur Fraser’s decision.
Lawyers representing the applicants have argued that the decision to grant Zuma medical parole was unlawful.
Zuma was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment in July this year and was granted medical parole in August after he was hospitalised.
Zuma’s lawyer Advocate Dali Mpofu told the court that the application was frivolous and that the parties who argued that the medical parole board was unlawful, are trying to second guess medical professionals.
He accused them of being right-wing and racist organisations that have orchestrated their litigation as part of a political point-scoring exercise.
Mpofu argued that challenging the medical parole of the former president is based on smoke and mirrors and untruths.
The former president was granted medical parole despite the medical parole board not recommending his release.
The parties argue that frail and poor health cannot be categorised as terminal illness or incapacitation.
They believe that his release on medical parole was not a legal one.
The court has heard that the medical reports did not suggest that his condition worsened or that he could not be taken care of within correctional services.
