Pretoria: Sentenced to 15 months in prison for contempt of court, former South African president Jacob Zuma is not expected to be arrested until at least 12 July. The Constitutional Court will now examine his appeal.
Jacob Zuma had argued that at 79 years old and in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, a stay in prison would be equivalent to a death sentence. He made a brief appearance outside his home in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, to meet his supporters in a festive atmosphere.
"South African justice system is not fair. We need to show sympathy to comrade Jacob Zuma. We're here to support him and enforce that he doesn't go to prison. We'll defend him." Ngryngrai Ngwenya, Jacob Zuma supporter said.
Nduna Mpanza , Zulu warrior. "We are here to protect Msholozi (Jacob Zuma, ed) because we trust Msholozi is always protecting our nation, the Zulu nation. We're here to present as a Zulu Nation called Ibotho iKa Zulu. So Msholozi is a Zulu man, always protecting the Zulu nation".
The situation is expected to remain calm for now as Zuma will not be arrested in the coming days. The Constitutional Court, which sentenced him to 15 months in prison, will consider his appeal on 12 July. The veterans of the former armed wing of the ANC who are guarding Zuma's house can let their guard down.
Top court sentences Zuma
Earlier, the country's highest court had sentenced him to 15 months in jail. He has been given five days to hand himself in to police. Failing that, the police minister must order his arrest. The sentence comes after the Constitutional Court found him guilty of contempt for defying its order to appear at an inquiry into corruption while he was president.
The former president testified only once at the inquiry into what has become known as "state capture" but then refused to appear subsequently. The inquiry - headed by Justice Raymond Zondo - asked the Constitutional Court to intervene. Acting Chief Justice Sisi Khampepe was damning in her ruling. Zuma refused to come to the court to explain his actions, she said, and he "elected instead to make provocative, unmeritorious and vituperative statements that constituted a calculated effort to impugn the integrity of the judiciary. "I am left with no option but to commit Zuma to imprisonment, with the hope that doing so sends an unequivocal message... the rule of law and the administration of justice prevails."
