On Friday, Zuma was admitted to a hospital outside the Estcourt Correctional Centre, in KwaZulu-Natal, where he's been serving his 15-month jail term.
The Department of Correctional Services confirmed on Friday morning that Zuma was at a facility outside the Estcourt Correctional Centre where he is serving his 15-month jail term.
With compassionate leave, inmates are released temporarily to attend the funerals of relatives.
But correctional services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said he has to apply for it first which he hasn’t done.
The Justice and Correctional Services Department has dismissed social media reports that prisoners at the Estcourt Correctional Centre were staging a hunger strike in solidarity with fellow inmate, former President Jacob Zuma.
He was arrested outside the Estcourt Correctional Centre in KwaZulu-Natal where former President Jacob Zuma is serving a 15-month sentence.
The pictures were shared on social media.
Former President Jacob Zuma started serving his 15-month sentence at the Escourt Correctional Facility in KwaZulu-Natal after he was taken into custody close to midnight on Wednesday night.
He was apparently violating COVID-19 regulations as Zuma supporters gathered outside the prison.
Legal researcher at the Helen Suzman Foundation, Christopher Fisher, said that the government did its job in terms of carrying out the order of the Constitutional Court.
Justice Minister Ronald Lamola said that he met Jacob Zuma in person and that he was his usual laughing self and did not say anything about his previous comments that the African National Congress (ANC) had abandoned him.
Freedom Under Law’s chief executive officer, Nicole Fritz, said that Jacob Zuma’s jailing to serve his 15-month sentence for contempt underlined the central principle of the Constitution, equality under the law.
Justice Minister Ronald Lamola said that the medical assessments being done on Zuma were standard procedure to determine how he would be incarcerated and Zuma would be placed in isolation for the first 14 days in line with COVID-19 regulations.
Justice Minister Ronald Lamola said that former President Jacob Zuma would be assessed before a decision was made on how he would be incarcerated.
Spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo explained to 702's Clement Manyathela why former President Jacob Zuma was being held at the Estcourt Correctional Centre and what assessments he has to undergo.
The minister is addressing a briefing on Thursday at the Estcourt Correctional Centre where the former president has started serving his 15-month sentence.
