FORMER president Jacob Zuma will be eligible for parole after serving a quarter of his 15-month prison sentence, Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola said on Thursday.
He said there is no stipulation for the non-parole period.
“It should be noted that in terms of Section 73 (6a) of the Correctional Services Act, an offender serving a determinate or cumulative sentences of not more than 24 months, may not be placed on parole or day parole until such offender has served either the stipulated non-parole period, or if no non-parole period was stipulated, a quarter of the sentence,” said Lamola.
“In this case, there is no stipulation for the non-parole period, this effectively means that the former President will be eligible for parole once a quarter of his sentence has been served.”
Lamola addressed a contingent of media outside prison gates in KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday where he assured the public Zuma would be in good care.
“We want to assure all South Africans that former president Zuma will be afforded dignity throughout his term of incarceration.”
Lamola added that Zuma be held in isolation for 14 days in line with Covid-19 protocols prior to joining the general population, he said.
He will be assessed by a medical team, as well as by the Military Health Services.
“This is assessment is done to establish the major needs or risk of the offender.”
Lamola said he has seen the former statesman and he was in good spirits.
“This is not a moment of celebration or triumphalism, it is a moment of restraint and to be human,” he said, promising to treat Zuma like any other inmate.
He said Zuma would be treated in line with the department’s mandate and in terms of the Nelson Mandela Rules, which are universal rules for the treatment of inmates.
“Rule 1 is emphatic – all inmates shall be treated with the respect due to their inherent dignity and value as human beings.”
Zuma turned himself in to police on Wednesday to begin his 15 months in jail for contempt of court.
The Constitutional Court ordered Zuma’s imprisonment last month after finding him guilty of contempt for failing to appear before the State Capture Inquiry.
- Inside Politics
