Former South African President Jacob Zuma says his imprisonment earlier this year was the result of an unjust legal system, speaking publicly in an audio message to supporters gathered at a prayer event in Durban.
Zuma Says He Remains Under “Parole Conditions”
In the message, Zuma said he still considers himself effectively restricted despite his release on medical parole in September.
“I remain a prisoner under strict parole conditions. It feels like what house arrest and banning orders must have felt like during the colonial apartheid government,” Zuma said.
The event drew large crowds, with supporters arriving in buses, marking one of his first public statements since his release.
Contempt of Court Conviction
Zuma was jailed after refusing to comply with a Constitutional Court order requiring him to testify before a judicial commission investigating corruption during his presidency from 2009 to 2018.
He served nearly two months of a 15-month sentence at the Estcourt Correctional Centre before being released on medical parole.
His release was approved by then Correctional Services Commissioner Arthur Fraser, despite a parole board recommendation that he remain in custody.
Medical Parole and Ongoing Questions
Zuma spent much of his sentence in a prison hospital wing before being transferred to an outside hospital for surgery in August. The nature of his medical condition has not been disclosed by his legal team.
His medical parole remains controversial, with questions raised over the decision-making process that led to his release.
Broader Political and Legal Pressure
Zuma remains a central figure in South African politics and continues to draw strong support from factions within the African National Congress, which is preparing for upcoming elections.
Political analyst Xolani Dube said the prayer gathering reflected deeper internal divisions within the party, with competing factions using Zuma’s influence to bolster their positions.
Separate Corruption Case Ongoing
Zuma also faces separate corruption charges linked to South Africa’s 1999 arms deal with French defense company Thales. He has pleaded not guilty and is seeking the recusal of lead prosecutor Billy Downer.
He is expected to appear in the Pietermaritzburg High Court next week in connection with that case.
