[imagesource:twitter/news24]

Called a ‘major moment for the South African criminal justice system’, former president Jacob Zuma returned to Estcourt prison to continue serving his 15-month sentence for contempt of court this morning.

However, the major moment wasshort-lived as Zuma walked out again after serving 2 hours, thanks to a remission system that “applies to all other prisoners” – according to Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola.

Lamola was asked how many inmates benefitted from the “special remission” granted by Ramaphosa to low-risk offenders. He says the decision was taken to address overcrowding in prisons. He also claims that this “remission process” started in April.

Once you get past the WTF moment, you have to admire the fancy footwork done by everyone involved. Smoke, mirrors, and remissions aside, did we really think Zuma was ever going to go back to jail?

According to a media statement by the Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services:

“President Cyril Ramaphosa has approved the remission of non-violent offenders in South Africa. There are 212 286 inmates, including 9 351 foreign nationals, managed by the Department of Correctional Services across the country’s 243 correctional centres and 218 community centres.”

“Unfortunately, the current occupancy rate is 143%, with the overcrowding rate at 43.06%. The recent loss of 3 024 beds at Kutama Sinthumule due to fire means that overcrowding will increase by 4%, raising the overcrowding rate to 47.06%, and in turn, the occupancy rate will increase by 147 percent.”

There’s plenty more to the statement, but to sum it up for those who don’t speak ‘ANC justice’: Zuma is the first beneficiary of a process whereby numerous criminals will be released as a kind of smoke screen. The embattled ex-prez just happens to enter prison two hours before he is ‘absolved of his sins’. Nice.

Ramaphosa is of course well within his power to implement this remission, but not to fire useless ministers. What a farce.

BREAKING | Zuma receives ‘special remission’, released from prison after less than 2 hourshttps://t.co/0T2gSiR591 pic.twitter.com/Wmswu21VJe

— News24 (@News24) August 11, 2023

You can be sure the opposition, and most of the SA media, will be howling at the moon today and so we wait to see who runs to the UN first.

Stay tuned folks.

[source:news24]