Jacob Zuma Nkandla

Former president Jacob Zuma.

Photo: Flickr / BipHoo

Zuma: ‘Prison sentence during COVID-19 would be like a death sentence’

In his briefing, Jacob Zuma said a prison sentence during the COVID-19 pandemic would be a death sentence to someone his age.

Jacob Zuma Nkandla

Former president Jacob Zuma.

Photo: Flickr / BipHoo

Former President Jacob Zuma has pleaded for fair treatment and justice ahead of the Constitutional Court rescission application. Zuma held a media briefing in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday.

During the briefing, Zuma said that a prison sentence during the COVID-19 pandemic would be a death sentence for someone his age.

IS ZUMA SCARED OF PRISON?

Despite the many times Zuma has said he does not fear prison, it looks like he has taken a sudden turn from his famous line as the clock ticks.

“Sending me to jail during the height of a pandemic is the same as sentencing me to death. The death sentence is unconstitutional and was banned in South Africa in 1994 (sic),” he said.

Msholozi and his legal team filed a rescission application on his contempt of court sentence on the 11th hour. Zuma was expected to hand himself over to the police as per Constitutional Court ruling on Sunday, 5 July.

In his application, the 79-year-old said imprisonment would threaten his life due to his unstable medical condition. 

“Before I walk through the prison doors to serve my sentence as the first direct prisoner of the Constitutional Court under our democracy, it will not be futile to make one last attempt invite the Constitutional Court to relook at its decision and to reassess whether it has acted within the Constitution, or erroneously, beyond the powers vested in the court by the Constitution.”

“Imprisonment will not serve any constitutional value but may be a political statement of exemplary punishment which does nothing to affirm the court as the supreme custodian of our constitutional rights,” Jacob Zuma argued.

Zuma reiterated that he is not going to jail tonight to start his 15 months prison sentence because he and his team are now engaging with the Constitutional Court.

When asked about his supporters, the recent activities outside his home and their vow to form a shield, Zuma said he can not answer for his supporters and he does not know what will happen should he decide to or not to hand himself over to police.

POLICE BLOCK SUPPORTERS IN KZN

The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJOINTS) further enhanced the operational capacity in KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday. This was in response to incidents in which people are seen to be undermining the authority of the State including the flouting of the Disaster Management Act Regulations.