DA's John Steenhuisen Wants Answers About Jacob Zuma's Medical Parole Decision

• Former President Jacob Zuma is out on medical parole and the Democratic Alliance wants answers as to why this decision was made
• DA leader John Steenhuisen believes that Zuma's release was a political move and not based on the Correctional Matters Amendment Act
• Steenhuisen would like the National Commissioner of Correctional Services Arthur Fraser to stand before the National Assembly to explain why Zuma is out on medical parole

Party leader of the Democratic Alliance John Steenhuisen is demanding answers as to how the decision to grant former President Jacob Zuma medical parole was reached.

Steenhuisen says the party will call the National Commissioner of Correctional Services Arthur Fraser to come before Parliament to answer numerous questions the DA has about Zuma's medical parole, according to SABC News.

Read also

John Steenhuisen's reign at DA could come to an end after just 1 year, say insiders

On Sunday, the Department of Correctional Services announced that Zuma had to be taken in for surgery and there is a belief that he will have to undergo further medical treatment in the future.

Singabakho Nxumalo, the department's spokesperson, stated that the national commissioner has the authority to grant inmates serving a sentence of fewer than 24 months parole or medical parole under the Correctional Services Act, according to a report by IOL.

A number of considerations are made such as the risk of a prisoner committing a crime again needs to be low. There needs to be arrangements made for the prisoner's supervision, care and treatment upon release.

Despite this information, Steenhuisen does not believe that Zuma's medical parole was granted to him based on medical issues but rather political motives are at play. Steenhusien says that Zuma's release mirrors Schabir Shaik's release on medical parole in 2009.

Read also

Ramaphosa reacts to Zuma's message calling on people to vote for the ANC

Based on the Correctional Matters Amendment Act, Steenhuisen says the act stipulates that an independent medical board needs to be appointed by the minister to assess the health status of the prisoner.

“A report on the health status of any prisoner must be subject to the recommendation by an independent board to confirm, in truth, that a prisoner is indeed deserving of medical parole," said Steenhuisen.

Steenhusien also believes that Zuma was granted medical parole by a close associate of his.

Steenhuisen criticises President Cyril Ramaphosa for not exercising presidential parole

The DA leader has also criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa for not choosing to grant Zuma presidential parole outright but instead going the medical parole route.

"The president (Cyril Ramaphosa) should have had the backbone to offer a presidential pardon, rather than going to the charade to like we have seen with Shabir Shaik, who is still fit and well today," said Steenhusien.

Read also

Jacob Zuma to have national prayer held due to 'dark forces' against him: 'Nkos'yam'

Jacob Zuma Foundation defends Zuma's decision to not get examined by state doctor, slams NPA

Briefly News previously reported the Jacob Zuma Foundation has come out in support of former President Jacob Zuma after he refused to undertake a medical evaluation by a doctor assigned by the National Prosecuting Authority.

The foundation says the medical report compiled by Zuma's military doctors is the only medical report that will be presented to the Pietermaritzburg High Court to substantiate his state of health, according to a report by IOL.

Zuma's doctors have been treating him since 1999, according to Mzwanele Manyi of the Jacob Zuma Foundation, and the medical report they presented to the NPA was sufficient, therefore there was no need for a second opinion.

Source: Briefly News