The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has welcomed the announcement that former president Jacob Zuma would not serve any more time in prison for his 15-month sentence.
“We are happy that finally this matter which divided society has been put behind us. We are alive to the reality that those opposed to the ANC and the enemy of the people of this country used this matter to divide the ANC and to cause social instability.
“On this day we reiterate our commitment to rebuild the unity and renew the soul and fibre of the ANC, restoring it to its founding values of dedication to servicing our people with honesty and dignity, respect and humility,” it said.
On Friday morning, Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola and Correctional Services Commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale briefed the media where they announced that Zuma reported to the Estcourt Correctional Facility at 6am.
While Thobakgale made the decision that Zuma must return to prison, Lamola said the new Remission of Sentence process would be applied to Zuma and he was then released.
The ANC in Zuma’s home province, KwaZulu-Natal, said it noted that in complying with the Supreme Court of Appeal judgment, the department ensured Zuma returned to Estcourt Correctional Facility.
“We pause to salute the department for meticulously following due processes in the management of this matter,” it said.
The provincial branch of the ANC said it also wished to salute President Cyril Ramaphosa “for doing what is in the best interest of the country by granting a special remission paving the way for the release of (Zuma)”.
“We wish to express our revolutionary appreciation to the ANC structures and the people of this province for remaining calm over the past month.
“We thank them for heeding our call in terms of exercising restraint and for allowing leadership and those entrusted with a responsibility to manage this delicate matter to do so in line with the laws of the country,” the ANC KZN said.
It further stated that last month, the provincial branch reminded the people of KZN that the Department of Correctional Services, under a democratic government, administered its system of correctional services based on the Freedom Charter.
kailene.pillay@inl.co.za
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