With more than 48 hours left in his freedom, new developments coming from the Nkandla estate seem to suggest that former president Jacob Zuma will not be handing himself over to authorities before the Sunday 4 July deadline.
As reported by News24, Zuma’s defence team, led by Advocate Dali Mpofu, has notified the State that it intends to appeal for a permanent stay in his arrest order, at the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
Jacob Zuma denounces ConCourt ruling
This is yet another display of defiance by the former president who has yet to issue a formal statement in his personal capacity. His foundation, publicly representated by spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi, did indicate in a statement released on Thursday, that it denounced the ruling.
“The Jacob Zuma Foundation denounces Judge Khampepe judgment as judicially emotional and angry and not consistent with our Constitution,” the scathing statement read.
At the time this article was published, the ConCourt had not issued a response to these developments. If Zuma’s legal team forges ahead with the challenge, the matter may be registered on the Pietermaritzburg court’s roll for deliberation at a date yet to be confirmed.
Tensions escalate in Nkandla
While the former president is expected to take the apex court to task over the arrest, he still only has two days left as a free man.
Zuma was ordered to hand himself over to the Nkandla police station for processing within five days of the ruling which was handed down on Tuesday.
Thus far, the 79-year-old has made no indication that he intends to honour this judgment. Instead, his supporters, accompanied by members of Umkhonto Wesizwe (MKMVA), have picketed outside his homestead, ready to defend the frontlines of the compound.
If the former president fails to hand himself over within the prescribed period, it will be the responsibility of Police Minister Bheki Cele to see to it that Zuma is clothed in orange overalls by the start of next week, where he will serve 15 months behind bars at a corrections facility in Nkandla.