South Africa’s security forces “are on high alert” following the Gauteng High Court’s decision to revoke former president Jacob Zuma’s medical parole for allegedly being “unlawful,” Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola said on Friday.
The minister appealed to South Africans to remain calm in the wake of the High Court ruling which also called for Zuma to return to prison to complete his 15-month sentence which came from his contempt of court in July.
“We call for calm and refrain from all South Africans after the court judgment with regards to the former president. It is important that we allow the due processes of the law to take its course,” Lamola said.
The minister urged members of the public to refrain from making inflammatory statements that could incite violence.
“The parties themselves are in engaging on the matter in the court processes. So inflammatory statements and unwarranted attacks on the judiciary will not help the process,” he said.
The appeal comes in the wake of the rioting experienced by the country in July when the former president was locked up in Estcourt Correctional Centre in KwaZulu Natal province that month.
Over 300 people were killed and more than US$2 billion worth of property and business were looted and damaged during the two-week rioting that erupted after Zuma was taken to prison to serve his 15-month sentence.
NM/jn/APA