The Jacob Zuma Foundation has confirmed that former president Jacob Zuma travelled to the Russian Federation last week “for health reasons.”
In a statement on Friday, it said he would only return to the country “once his doctors have completed their treatment.”
“The JGZ Foundation has noted the media reports and speculations about the recent trip of our patron to the Republic of Russia.
“The foundation confirms that H.E President Zuma travelled to Russia last week for health reasons, and he will be returning to the country once his doctors have completed their treatment,” the foundation said.
UPDATE: The Jacob Zuma Foundation has confirmed that former President Jacob Zuma travelled to the Russian Federation last week “for health reasons” and he will only return to the country “once his doctors have completed their treatment.” @
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) July 14, 2023
The foundation said Zuma travelled on a commercial flight and not in secret, as suggested in some quarters.
“Although the trip was private, it was not a secret as incorrectly suggested.
“H.E President Zuma and his team travelled on a commercial flight full of passengers.
“The Foundation wishes its patron good health and a safe return home whenever the doctors release him,” the foundation added.
The confirmation comes as the DA, one of the parties that challenged his September 2021 release on medical parole, says he must immediately return to his Estcourt prison cell to finish his sentence.
The call came after the Constitutional Court dismissed an application by the Department of Correctional Services, which wanted to appeal the ruling that effectively sent Zuma back to prison to finish his sentence.
His jailing sparked the July 2021 unrest that saw KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng businesses looted and burned, and over 350 people killed.
In a ruling on Thursday afternoon, the highest court in the land dismissed the main application by the department.
It also dismissed the application to intervene, which was made by Zuma’s legal team.
It said both had no prospects of success, effectively sending Zuma back to jail without giving time-lines for when that should happen.
“The Constitutional Court has considered the application for leave to appeal (main application) and the application to intervene.
“It has been concluded that the main application should be dismissed as it bears no reasonable prospects of success.
“Consequently, the application to intervene falls to be dismissed,” the ConCourt ruled. Zuma was jailed in July 2021 for refusing to abide by the court’s directive to appear before the Zondo Commission if inquiry into State Capture and testify.
UPDATE: The DA says it welcomes today's Concourt ruling and insist that former President Jacob Zuma must return to jail to finish his sentence. The party said its lawyers are currently drafting a letter to be sent to Zuma calling for him to voluntarily surrender himself
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) July 13, 2023
However, the then Commissioner of Correctional Services, Arthur Fraser granted him medical parole and freed him in September, just three months into his 15-month sentence.
The DA, Helen Suzman Foundation and AfriForum challenged the decision in court and won when it was ruled that Zuma’s release was illegal.
The department said it was still studying the judgment.
The leader of the DA, John Steenhuisen said their lawyers are currently drafting a letter to be sent to Zuma calling for him to voluntarily surrender himself for arrest within a reasonable time-frame. If he fails, it will ask the Commissioner of Correctional Services to frogmarch him to his cell in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
“If either of these parties fail to comply, they will be in contempt of court.
“We call on Mr Thobakgale to act constitutionally, lawfully, and in a manner expected of him as National Commissioner for Correctional Services, and to act in line with his constitutionally-prescribed duty of office.
“Should Mr Thobakgale act irregularly or illegally or seek to delay the enactment of the Constitutional Court’s judgment, we will not hesitate to take further action to ensure that this judgment is upheld,” Steenhuisen said.
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