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PoliticsSouth Africa

South Africa's Zuma transferred to hospital from prison

August 6, 2021

Just days before his corruption trial is set to resume, the 79-year-old former South African president has been hospitalized. There is no reason for alarm "yet," his allies say.

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Zuma stands in the dock after recess in his corruption trial
Jacob Zuma pleaded not guilty in his corruption trialImage: Phill Magakoe/Reuters

The former South African president, Jacob Zuma, was admitted to a hospital on Friday for medical observation.

Zuma, 79, has been serving jail time for contempt of court and is due to attend the resumption of a long-running corruption trial in less than a week.

His imprisonment had triggered deadly riots in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal and the financial capital Johannesburg.

What do we know about the hospitalization?

The Department of Correctional Services said Zuma was transferred to an outside hospital after a routine observation at the prison prompted authorities to seek further examination. The exact medical reason for the move was not made clear.

"Everyone who is detained, including every sentenced prisoner, has the right to conditions of detention that are consistent with human dignity, including... medical treatment," the department said in a statement.

As a former president, Zuma's healthcare needs required the involvement of the South African Military Health Service, the department added.

A foundation that Zuma founded confirmed that he was in a hospital for his annual routine medical check-up. "No need to be alarmed,... yet," Zuma's foundation said on Twitter. 

When is Zuma due to appear in court?

Zuma's next court session is scheduled on August 10. 

He is facing 16 charges, including fraud, graft and racketeering related to the 1999 purchase of fighter jets, patrol boats and equipment from five European arms firms when he was deputy president.

Prosecutors also accuse Zuma of taking bribes — around 4 million rand (€234,000, $277,000) — from the French defense giant Thales, which has been charged with corruption and money laundering. 

The trial began in May after several postponement attempts by Zuma's lawyers to have the charges dropped. His defense team previously cited a range of reasons to turn down invitations to testify — including medical concerns. 

Zuma appears on a screen virtually from the correctional service facility
Zuma attended his last court session from prison via video callImage: picture alliance/AP

Since July 8, Zuma has started serving a 15-moth jail sentence in a separate case. 

He was allowed to leave prison for 24 hours to attend his brother's funeral. 

fb/dj (AFP, Reuters)