Zuma loses application for stay of arrest

Former President Jacob Zuma has lost his application for a stay of his arrest. The High Court in Pietermaritzburg handed down judgment on Friday.

Zuma approached the court despite him already being behind bars at the Escourt Correctional Services Facility.

This after the Constitutional Court sentenced him to 15 months in jail for contempt of court after he refused to continue to testify at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture despite being ordered to do so.

VIDEO: SABC News reporter, Simphiwe Makhanya on Zuma’s arrest:

Although Friday’s judgment was going to be delivered virtually by Judge Bhekisiza Mnguni,  the judge only said that the application by Zuma has been dismissed.

The application was filed by Zuma’s legal team with the hope to prevent him being imprisoned. However, with Zuma now behind bars the legal team was hoping that should the court have ruled in his favour this could have possibly meant that he would spend the weekend at home.

‘Constitutional crisis’

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala says since the Constitutional Court judgment South Africa was almost plunged into a constitutional crisis or a civil war of some sort.

Zikalala says this has deepened pain among the citizens of the province and the membership of the African National Congress.

Below is the full interview with Premier Zikalala: