Zuma medical parole ruling 'a major breakthrough for justice'
A court ruling ordering former president Jacob Zuma to go back to jail has been applauded by some organisations.
The High Court in Pretoria ruled on Wednesday that Zuma's medical parole was unlawful.
Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in prison for his refusal to appear before the commission of inquiry into state capture.
He served a portion of that before he was released in September on medical parole a decision made by former National Commissioner of Correctional Services Arthur Fraser.
Organisations including Democratic Alliance (DA) and AfriForum approached the court to challenge this decision.
AfriForum's Ernst Roets says there was an obvious double-standard in the South African legal system.
"Senior politicians or people with political connections are not treated the same way as the rest of the public. This is why AfriForum became involved in this matter as an applicant and also why we regard this as a major breakthrough for justice in this country."
In July when Zuma was sent to prison violent looting shook the country, allegedly instigated by his supporters.
DA leader John Steenhuisen hopes that this does not incite a second unrest.
"I think people need to show restraint and be calm and understand that the rule of law and that independent judiciary when which everybody is equal before the law is actually their best safeguard against the arbitrary abuse of power by government."
