Jacob Zuma Foundation Says He Is Not Sick, Will Appear at Arms Deal Trial
- According to the JG Zuma Foundation, former President Jacob Zuma is not sick and has only been admitted to the hospital for a check-up
- Zuma was admitted to a hospital outside the Estcourt Correctional Services facility on Friday morning, says the Correctional Services Department
- Spokesperson of the JG Zuma Foundation Mzwanele Manyi says Zuma will appear in court for his corruption trial next week
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ESTCOURT - The Jacob Zuma Foundation says the former president is not suffering from an illness and does not intend to miss his arms deal corruption trial set to commence next week Tuesday, 10 August.
The Department of Correctional Services stated that Zuma has been hospitalised on Friday morning at a hospital outside the Estcourt Correctional Centre for medical observation, according to Al Jazeera.
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“Everyone who is detained, including every sentenced prisoner, has the right to conditions of detention that are consistent with human dignity, including … medical treatment,” said in a statement the Department of Correctional Services.
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Mzwanele Manyi, spokesperson of the JG Zuma Foundation, says the former president was admitted into hospital as part of a routine check-up which would have taken place whether or not he was imprisoned, according to the report by News24.
Manyi stated that Zuma and the foundation will release a statement after the check-up was had been completed and a medical report obtained.
Zuma ready to go to court 'guns blazing'
Manyi went on to say that Zuma was looking forward to his plea hearing on Tuesday at the Pietermaritzburg High Court in KwaZulu-Natal. Manyi further stated that Zuma's hospitalisation was not a ruse to avoid appearing in court, as Zuma cannot afford to be unwell because he has a lot to say in court.
"One of the reasons he is looking forward to this [is that] for all these years he has been rubbished as this corrupt person. Now the truth will be told," Manyi said.
Manyi stated Zuma be would going into court guns blazing.
Former President Jacob Zuma hospitalised, under medical observation
Briefly News recently reported that former South African president Jacob Zuma has been admitted to hospital, according to reports.
It is unclear what he has been admitted for, however, News24 reports that the Department of Correctional Services has confirmed that he has been taken to a hospital outside of Estcourt Correctional services where has been imprisoned for his contempt of court charge.
The department has so far said that he has been taken in for medical observation and Zuma's health will be under the care of the South African Military Health Services.
Zuma's family has concerns about his health while in prison
Zuma's family has previously expressed their concerns about the former president's health. According to IOL, the JG Zuma Foundation had stated that they were worried about his health since his imprisonment.
Mzwanele Manyi, a spokesperson for the foundation, said the cold weather in Estcourt was not conducive to the health of a 79-year-old man being held in a frigid cell.
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Source: Briefly News
