Zuma enters prison to serve his contempt of court sentence

Former South African president Jacob Zuma, who was convicted on contempt of court charges last week, has been jailed after he failed in a lastditch effort to delay serving his 15-month sentence.

Confirmation of Zuma’s detention came shortly after the expiry of a deadline set by the Constitutional Court to jail the former leader. He is being held at a new prison in Estcourt, about 147 kilometres northwest of the city of Durban.

The conditions of Zuma’s incarceration will be determined once an assessment has been completed, the Department of Correctional Services said on Thursday. Police spokesman Vish Naidoo earlier confirmed his arrest.

The former president’s foundation said he had decided to surrender to the authorities.

“President Zuma has decided to comply with the incarceration order,” it said.

A former spy, he spent a decade in prison for opposing white minority rule and led South Africa for almost nine scandal-marred years until the ruling African National Congress forced him out in 2018 to stem a loss of voter support.

The government estimates that more than 500 billion rand ($35 billion) was stolen from state coffers during his rule. He denies wrongdoing.

On June 29, the court found Zuma, 79, guilty of violating its order to testify before a judicial panel that is investigating corruption during his rule. It agreed to consider Zuma’s review plea, with a hearing set for July 12, but the concession did not suspend his sanction.