South Africa: former president Jacob Zuma sleeps in prison

Police were ordered to arrest him no later than midnight Wednesday, but former South African President Jacob Zuma, sentenced to 15 months in prison for contempt, made it easier for him.

Wednesday at 11:30 p.m., a convoy of ten cars left its residence at high speed, heading for Escourt prison.

The ex-president, condemned for having stubbornly avoided answering the questions of a commission of inquiry on corruption, was neither seen nor heard.

The news broke through a tweet: “President Zuma has decided to comply with the jail order.

He's on his way to a correctional facility ”in Kwazulu-Natal province, said the foundation that represents him.

Dear South Africans and the World.

Please be advised that President Zuma has decided to comply with the incarceration order.

He is on his way to hand himself into a Correctional Services Facility in KZN.

A full statement will be issued in due course. # WenzenuZuma

- JGZuma Foundation (Official) (@JGZ_Foundation) July 7, 2021

The Police Ministry confirmed shortly after that he had been "taken into custody".

This is not "an admission of guilt", however, stressed Jacob Zuma spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi.

Support poured in for the 79-year-old ex-leader

One of Jacob Zuma's daughters, Dudu Zuma-Sambudla, quipped on social media "celebrating the imprisonment of the freedom fighter", who spent ten years in Robben Island penitentiary alongside Nelson Mandela.

Until late in the evening, well after the 9 p.m. curfew, dozens of supporters sang and danced, some wearing traditional animal skin headbands.

At around 1:30 a.m., a convoy entered the walls of Escourt prison under a strong police presence.

This is where "Mr. Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma was admitted to start serving his sentence," the prison administration said in a statement.

Jacob Zuma, 79, was sentenced last week by the country's highest court.

Not having surrendered on his own until Sunday, the police were ordered to arrest him no later than midnight Wednesday.

Incarcerate or not, the hesitant police

Familiar with the courts, the former leader obtained that the Constitutional Court reconsider his sentence on Monday.

He also called for his arrest to be suspended by then, but the court's decision is due on Friday.

These legal actions have cast doubt on his imprisonment.

The police themselves had hinted in recent days that they might give up arresting Jacob Zuma.

In a letter addressed to the Constitutional Court, she announced that she would not intervene before the outcome of the judicial appeals.

But in an about-face on Wednesday morning, Police Minister Bheki Cele said he was "not ready to face contempt of justice charges" for not having carried out the order.

A victory for the "rule of law"

Questioning the impartiality of the judges, Jacob Zuma highlighted an “unstable” state of health, arguing that imprisonment “would amount” to “sentence him to death” in the context of the pandemic.

Saturday he had also warned, after having feasted his supporters with jokes, that violence was to be expected if the police "dared" to arrest him.

The next day, he said provocatively: "I don't need to go to jail today".

Jacob Zuma is accused of plundering public resources during his nine years in power (2009-2018).

Questioned by some forty testimonies since the creation in 2018 of a commission of inquiry into state corruption, he has stepped up the maneuvers to avoid testifying.

The spokesperson for the ruling African National Congress (ANC), Pule Mabe, hailed a victory for the “rule of law and the independence of justice” in this young democracy. Stuck in scandals, Jacob Zuma was forced to resign in 2018. His successor Cyril Ramaphosa has made the fight against corruption a battle horse.