DA files application to review Zuma medical parole release
The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it's filing papers in the High Court on Friday to review the decision to release former president Jacob Zuma from prison on medical parole.
Zuma, who was serving a 15-month contempt of court sentence in Estcourt, was admitted to a hospital outside the prison early last month.
On Sunday, Correctional Services said he'd been released on parole.
But it's since emerged the Medical Parole Advisory Board did not approve his parole because it believed he was in a stable condition.
Correctional Services Commissioner Arthur Fraser has admitted he chose to override the decision.
DA leader John Steenhuisen says they believe it was all part of a political strategy.
"It is very clear what has happened here is that a cadre deployed by the ANC in the form of Mr Arthur Fraser, who has a long history with Mr Zuma as former spy boss, used his position to benefit Mr Zuma and to release him.
"Not because of medical reasons but for political reasons. The ANC clearly wants Mr Zuma out of jail ahead of the elections because of the impact this has potentially on their electro fortunes and because the structure in KwaZulu-Natal were demanding it.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema says they welcome Zuma's release on medical parole.
"I'm not going to be questioning people's health and applying to anyone to ask for [a] medical report of Jacob Zuma. We have never asked for a botox [report] of Helen Zille. No one has ever asked her."
