Former president Jacob Zuma has been granted permission to attend his brother’s funeral in KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday, July 22.
Michael Zuma passed away on Sunday, July 11 after a long illness, which came less than a week after Zuma started serving his prison sentence.
According to News24, the Department of Correctional Services confirmed that Zuma had indeed applied for compassionate leave.
“We can confirm that the former president, Mr Jacob Zuma has applied for Compassionate Leave. It is being dealt with in terms of Section 44(1)(a) of the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998,” the department’s spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo said on Wednesday.
Yet, in a statement on Thursday morning, as cited by IOL, Nxumalo said that the former president has been “granted compassionate leave in order to attend to a family bereavement” that is “In line with Section 44 (1)(a) of the Correctional Services Act.”
The permission has been granted only for Thursday, News24 adds.
“A sentenced offender who is granted permission to leave a correctional centre remains a sentenced offender even while temporarily outside,” Nxumalo concluded.
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