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Remember when Jacob Zuma was transported from Nkandla to Estcourt Correctional Centre in July last year?

The man who helped sell South Africa to the Guptas was finally getting his comeuppance. What a time to be alive.

It wasn’t long before riots rocked the country and the former president was placed on medical parole due to ill health and allowed to return to Nkandla.

Naturally, all sorts of discrepancies were found in the granting of parole by Correctional Services Commissioner Arthur Fraser, who has a long-standing relationship with Zuma and a longer-standing relationship with dishonesty.

The battle over whether or not Zuma will return to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence rages on. Earlier this week, Zuma’s advocate Dali Mpofu SC argued before a full Bench of the Supreme Court of Appeal that it has been established “beyond any doubt” that the former president is suffering from a terminal illness.

More from News24:

Mpofu contended that this was apparent from the medical parole application made on behalf of Zuma by his military doctor (a Dr Mafa), and urged the court to accept as a “jurisdictional fact” that “Mr Zuma is suffering from a terminal disease”.

“Nobody here has [disputed] the answer of Dr Mafa to the simple question: Does he [Zuma] suffer from a terminal disease? Yes,” he stated.

Zuma, Mpofu, and the Department of Correctional Services are seeking to overturn the ruling handed down by Judge Elias Matojane in the Gauteng High Court last December.

Matojane ruled that Fraser’s decision to place former president Jacob Zuma on medical parole was unlawful and ordered that the former president should return to jail.

Zuma’s 15-month sentence for defying a Constitutional Court order is due to end on October 7 so these stalling tactics are serving their purpose.

Naturally, Zapiro was on the money with his most recent cartoon for The Daily Maverick:

Zuma’s legacy has long since been sullied, but what has happened to Mpofu?

The once-respected legal mind continues to take on embarrassing causes and he will now be best remembered for defending the indefensible.

The Supreme Court of Appeal reserved judgment in Zuma’s appeal to overturn the decision that found his release on parole unlawful. What that means, in reality, is that the prospects of Zuma being forced to return to jail are extremely slim.

No doubt he can look forward to a long life, much like South Africa’s other infamous medical parolee, a certain Schabir Shaik.

[sources:news24&dailymav]