South Africa – Former South African President Jacob Zuma has been officially granted his freedom and will not be required to serve his 15-month prison sentence for contempt of court. President Cyril Ramaphosa has endorsed a remissions program aimed at non-violent offenders to alleviate prison overcrowding nationwide.
Under the Presidential directive, over 9400 individuals serving sentences of less than two years will be released from incarceration. According to Dr Levy Ndou, a Political Analyst, given the mounting pressure on correctional services and the government’s leadership, the decision to remit Zuma did not surprise him.
Despite Dr Ndou’s anticipations, the decision is not exempt from public scrutiny and concerns. The general public may perceive the remissions as favouring a single individual and potentially evading a more significant civil crisis.
“Even though Justice Minister Lamola will say this is not only meant for former President Jacob Zuma, everybody else will say no, but this [remissions] is actually meant for Jacob Zuma … People are going to say this decision was taken specifically because when Jacob Zuma was arrested last time, there was a lot of disorder in the country. Because of that, a decision might have been taken not to take him to prison.”
Public Perception of Zuma’s Remission
While President Ramaphosa’s rationale appears reasonable, there is an air of suspicion surrounding the “coincidence and timing” of events. According to reports, former President Zuma arrived at Estcourt Correctional Centre in Kwazulu-Natal, and shortly after that, the remissions were unveiled.
Dr Ndou asserts this decision reinforces the public perception that the law is not consistently applied to politicians and ordinary citizens. Furthermore, it seems to propagate the notion that acts of lawlessness and criminal behaviour can be carried out without facing appropriate repercussions.
“Most people will be asking themselves what has happened to those who have decided to release Mr Zuma wrongfully? It appears as if it’s a matter that correctional services and law enforcement agencies are not interested in venturing into. If that is the case, then it means that you are capable of doing the wrong things in South Africa. Do things against our laws, and nothing will actually happen to you.”
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Creating a Precedent for Politicians to Avoid Jail Time
With the controversial decision, Dr Ndou anticipates extensive discussions on the matter in the days ahead. He perceives the government’s actions may be aimed at establishing a precedent, suggesting government officials and politicians who come under suspicion and face conviction for misconduct could use this as a guide to navigate the situation and evade imprisonment.
“The politicians might be trying to create a precedent so that when any other politician gets arrested, this precedent has to be taken. They know that because some of them might be involved in wrongdoing, they are preparing themselves not to spend time in prison.”
