Lawyers for former President Jacob Zuma have made a last-ditch effort to keep their client from being arrested by midnight on Wednesday in keeping with a Constitutional Court judgement which sentenced the former President to 15 months imprisonment for contempt of court.
They have requested Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo to issue a directive to instruct the South African Police Services to stay the taking of Zuma into custody until their application for a suspension order made at the Pietermaritzburg High Court is delivered on Friday, or alternatively until the Constitutional Court has heard the former President’s rescission application scheduled for the 12th of July.
The Foundation wishes to inform the Nation that a letter has been sent to the Constitutional Court to issue a directive prohibiting the execution of the Arrest Order pending the outcome of all legal processes.#WenzenuZuma
— JGZuma Foundation (Official) (@JGZ_Foundation) July 7, 2021
Police Minister Bheki Cele ’s office says it has until midnight to take former President Jacob Zuma into custody if it does not receive a response from the court.
Do you think Zuma will hand himself over to the police by midnight? #SABCNews #Nkandla #JacobZuma #ZumaArrest
— SABC News (@SABCNews) July 7, 2021
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The police ministry says if it doesn’t receive a response from the office of the Chief Justice by the end of business on Wednesday, police officials will have no choice but to effect the arrest warrant against former President, Jacob Zuma.
The Constitutional Court’s ultimatum that the former President hand himself over to the police in Nkandla or Johannesburg within five days expired on Sunday midnight. Meaning that it was now up to Police Minister, Bheki Cele, and the National Police Commissioner, Khehla Sitole, to ensure that he gets committed to prison.
On Tuesday Cele, in a letter penned by the State Attorney’s office on his behalf, informed the acting chief justice, Raymond Zondo, that he would hold off on the arrest due to the litigation that Zuma is currently embarking on. He also requested clarity from the Apex Court on a way forward in the matter.
Cele’s office says it has until midnight to take the former president into custody and it will execute the order of the Constitutional Court if it receives no response from the Apex Court by the end of business on Wednesday.
Spokesperson Lirandzu Themba explains the ministry’s position:
