Faizel Patel – 30/06/2021
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation says former President Jacob Zuma should be arrested by force if necessary if he does not hand himself after the Constitutional Court found him guilty of contempt of court.
The highest court in the land sentenced Zuma to 15 months imprisonment on Tuesday.
Justice Sisi Khampepe pointed out that Zuma’s case was exceptional because of his position as a former president as well as his criticism of the judiciary.
The former president has five days to hand himself in to a Nkandla or Johannesburg police station to start his jail term.
Speaking to Radio Islam, the Executive Director of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation Neeshan Balton says Zuma must serve his sentence handed down by the Constitutional Court even if he refuses to do so.
“Well he’ll have to be arrested by force if necessary.”
Balton says the decision by the highest court in the land is unprecedented.
“The fact that the ConCourt took three months to deliberate on an urgent matter, I think it is an indication of just how serious they had to think through the required actions no only in terms of the case, but for the functionality of the judiciary and of our systems of governance in this country.
Balton says the foundation is not surprised that the court decided to jail Zuma.
“I think having weighed up all of the options, the court thought they needed to deal with his behaviour which was really precedent setting for somebody who occupied the position that he did and an example needed to be set for others who were looking at following his conduct.”
Zuma’s son Edward say the police would have to kill him first, before arresting his father adding that the Constitutional Court’s decision against Zuma was unjust.
Listen to the interview with Neeshan Balton
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