Former president Jacob Zuma was spotted out and about on Friday for the first time since he was granted medical parole, at Sibaya Casino in Durban.
The Sunday Times received a tip-off that Zuma was meeting close allies there, among them former Luthuli House staffer Carl Niehaus and former South African Airways chair Dudu Myeni.
Zuma's visit to the casino raised eyebrows because a day earlier he had told supporters gathered for his welcome-home party that he could not attend the event because of his strict parole conditions.
“Yes, I remain a prisoner, under very strict parole conditions. It feels like what house arrest and banning orders must have felt like during colonial-apartheid government,” he said on Thursday.
As questions began to be asked about his casino visit, his daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla hit out at the media on Twitter.
“My father is not under house arrest and you are not privy to his parole conditions. My father can’t be your only newsmaker, there are taxi wars happening and ministers being taken “hostage” #WenzenuZuma,” she tweeted yesterday after the Sunday Times sent questions about the meeting to Myeni.
Amanda Khoza From @SundayTimesZA And Lindiwe Gumede From @SundayTribuneSA My Father Is Not Under House Arrest And You Are NOT Privy To His Parole Conditions. My Father Can’t Be Your ONLY Newsmaker, There Are Taxi Wars Happening And Ministers Being Taken “Hostage” #WenzenuZuma
— Hon. Dudu Zuma-Sambudla (@DZumaSambudla) October 16, 2021
Department of correctional services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said Zuma was granted permission to travel outside his district.
“We can confirm that Mr Jacob Zuma made a request to leave his residence to be in another town and this was approved by his monitoring official. We can therefore confirm that permission was granted. This is in line with his parole conditions.”
Nxumalo said Zuma was permitted to leave his Nkandla compound as long as “he reports his whereabouts and approval must be granted and then he can move”.
Nxumalo said he could not divulge information on Zuma’s request as it could lead to a breach in security. The details of medical parole are a matter between a parolee and the department, he said.
“We have to be concerned about his safety as well so that we can activate other monitoring officials to be on the lookout that there is a parolee in that area.”
In this case, it is not necessary for a parole officer to accompany the inmate to their desired destination. “If there is need to, then we can be there.”
Nxumalo said the general application for all parolees is that they are permitted to leave home, but “they should not take illegal substances. They can go to a restaurant, let’s say you want to have a meeting or an engagement, but we need to know where you are at all times.”
Contacted by the Sunday Times, Niehaus said: “I am not confirming anything to you, thank you.” He then ended the call abruptly.
Myeni did not respond.
The casino is owned by Zuma's friend, Durban businessman Vivian Reddy.
The Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (Casac), which has been calling for Zuma’s medical parole conditions to be made public, said this shows why its call is important.
Casac executive secretary Lawson Naidoo said: “The public need to know what these conditions are so we can be assured that they are not being transgressed, and that Mr Zuma is not receiving favourable or preferential treatment.”
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