Justice and Correctional Services Minister, Ronald Lamola, says former president Jacob Zuma will be eligible for parole after serving a quarter of his sentence.
Lamola was addressing the media outside the Estcourt Correctional Services facility in KwaZulu-Natal, describing the moment as one of great restraint.
Zuma was taken into custody on Wednesday night to begin his 15-month prison sentence for contempt of court.
Timeline of Zuma’s court appearances over the last 16 years:
Lamola says Zuma is being housed in the hospitals section while he undergoes an immediate assessment.
He says the former president is in good spirits.
“It should be noted that in terms of section 736A of the Correctional Services Act, an offender serving the and determined or cumulative sentence of not more than 24 months may not be places on parole or day parole until such a offender had served either the stipulated non parole period of a non parole period was stipulated a quarter of the sentence,” says Lamola.
The Correctional Services Minister says all prisoners undergo a full profile report that is sent to a case management committee.
He also described the Escourt Correctional Services facility as a new generation centre.
“It is a new generation correctional centre with an approved bed capacity of 512 inmates it also has a hospital section. As precaution and in line with the COVID-19 measures, the former president will be placed in isolation for a period of 14 days. Further more, he will be assessed by our medical team in conjunction with the the South African Health Military Services and this will determine the conditions for his incarceration,” adds Lamola.
Analysis and reaction to the imprisonment of the former president:
