South Africa's ex-president says he was unfairly imprisoned

DURBAN, South Africa — Former South African President Jacob Zuma claims helium was sent to situation successful July due to the fact that the country’s justness strategy is unfair.

Zuma addressed his supporters connected Thursday done an audio connection astatine a supplication lawsuit successful Durban, wherever galore of his supporters arrived successful packed buses. It was 1 of his archetypal nationalist comments since helium was released from situation successful September connected aesculapian parole.

“I stay a captive nether strict parole conditions. It feels similar what location apprehension and banning orders indispensable person felt similar during the assemblage apartheid government,” Zuma said successful the audio message.

Zuma, 79, was imprisoned for defying a tribunal bid to attest astatine a judicial enquiry probing allegations of corruption during his statesmanlike word from 2009 to 2018. Zuma has been implicated successful wrongdoing by respective witnesses including erstwhile Cabinet ministers.

He refused to look earlier the committee contempt an bid by the country’s highest court, the Constitutional Court.

Zuma served astir 2 months of his 15-month jailhouse condemnation astatine the Estcourt Correctional Center earlier helium was controversially released connected aesculapian parole. Correctional Services Commissioner Arthur Fraser approved Zuma’s merchandise against the proposal of the parole board, which had said helium should stay successful jailhouse arsenic helium was successful a unchangeable condition.

Zuma spent astir of his condemnation successful the prison’s infirmary helping and was aboriginal transferred to an extracurricular infirmary wherever helium underwent country successful August. Zuma’s lawyers person not disclosed the crushed for the country oregon his aesculapian condition.

Political expert Xolani Dube said the supplication lawsuit for Zuma shows the grade of governmental divisions wrong the ruling African National Congress party, which volition soon beryllium contesting section authorities elections.

“It is thing but a amusement of spot by the 1 faction against the other. They are utilizing his (Zuma’s) charisma and quality to combat the interior factional battles of the ANC,” said Dube.

Zuma inactive faces corruption charges successful a abstracted lawsuit successful which helium is accused of receiving bribes from French arms steadfast Thales during South Africa’s arguable arms acquisition successful 1999. Zuma has pleaded not blameworthy to the charges and is applying for the pb authoritative successful the case, Billy Downer, to recuse himself from the matter. Zuma is expected to look successful the Pietermaritzburg High Court adjacent week for that case.