The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) on Sunday confirmed that Former President Jacob Zuma has been placed on medical parole.
This comes just 58 days after he was admitted as an inmate at the Estcourt Correctional Services facility in KwaZulu-Natal.
The department said that there was nothing inopportune about Zuma’s release.
“Section 75(7)(a) of the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998, affords the National Commissioner a responsibility to place under correctional supervision or day parole, or grant parole or medical parole to a sentenced offender serving a sentence of incarceration for 24 months or less. The National Commissioner is also in terms of Section 52, empowered to prescribe conditions of parole,” said DCS national spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo.
“Medical parole’s eligibility for Mr Zuma is impelled by a medical report received by the department of correctional services. Apart from being terminally ill and physically incapacitated, inmates suffering from an illness that severely limits their daily activity or self-care can also be considered for medical parole,” he added.
Zuma’s parole means that he will complete the remainder of his sentence in the “system of community corrections”, under supervision.
Meanwhile, DA leader, John Steenhuisen has called Zuma’s parole “entirely unlawful, making a mockery of the Correctional Matters Amendment Act of 2011.”
