[File: Emmanuel Croset/AFP]
As the deadline looms for Jacob Zuma to be arrested at midnight on Wednesday, political analyst Professor Andre Duvenhage says Zuma will be taken into custody.
Duvenhage was speaking to Radio Islam about Zuma’s 15-month jail term handed down to him by the Constitutional Court for contempt of court and refusing to appear before the state capture inquiry and Justice Raymond Zondo.
The apex court ordered that Zuma be arrested by midnight on Wednesday if he failed to hand himself over by Sunday to start serving his sentence.
However Zuma on Tuesday applied to have his arrest stayed pending the outcome of a rescission application in the Constitutional Court on Monday.
The Pietermaritzburg High Court will only deliver their judgement on Friday.
Police Minister Bheki Cele who is in KwaZulu-Natal said on Wednesday that he will not disobey a court order and will arrest Zuma by the midnight deadline.
Duvenhage says Zuma’s time has run out.
“I think we can expect Zuma to be in custody sooner rather than later. if not before 12 o’ clock, it’s probably going to be within this week at least. I cannot see that the court decision in Pietermaritzburg can influence this thing we see.”
Duvenhage says he believes that Zuma will get off lightly after his arrest.
“I think what will happen is that he will probably get a few months sentence and he will leave if not, maybe he will even get only house arrest and be put at Nkandla as a result of medical reasons or whatever.”
Duvenhage says there is political rife currently in the country.
He says there is also concern about the complete absence of President Cyril Ramaphosa which was also prevalent throughout his presidency, adding that the country needs leadership and direction.
“The uncertainty I have at the moment is what is going on in KZN. We know that KZN is one of the points in South Africa where major things happen and if something happens in KZN, it normally has a major influence over the rest of South African politics.”
Meanwhile, the Jacob Zuma Foundatin says a letter has been sent to the Constitutional Court to issue a directive prohibiting the execution of the Arrest Order for Zuma pending the outcome of all legal processes.
Listen to the interview with Professor Andre Duvenhage
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