The EFF warned President Jacob Zuma’s former financial adviser, convicted fraudster Schabir Shaik, to focus on his “faked” illness or face his medical parole being reviewed.
The warning was made by EFF national spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi as Shaik suddenly emerged from his “terminal illness” and launched a scathing attack on Julius Malema for comments he made about Indians.
“We shall never keep quiet, particularly in the face of hypocritical criticism coming from convicted criminals like Shaik.
“We advise Shaik to focus on his fake illness before we have to call for his parole to be reviewed,” Ndlozi said.
Ndlozi made the statements after Shaik was quoted in a report accusing Malema of playing on racial tensions, when Malema complained about Indian businesspeople exploiting African workers in KwaZulu-Natal.
Shaik’s outburst caused a stir on social media, with some hailing Malema for raising the convicted fraudster from his illness. The DA on Monday called for Shaik’s parole to be reviewed.
Shaik was convicted of fraud and corruption in 2005, but served only two years of his 15-year prison sentence when he was released on medical parole in 2009.
The DA’s James Selfe said he would write to Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha to ask him to take Shaik’s parole to court to determine if he should return to prison to serve the remainder of his prison term.
“Should the minister fail or refuse to do this, the DA will consider its options, including, even at this stage, reviewing the rationality of the decision to grant Mr Shaik medical parole,” Selfe said.
Last week, Masutha said in a written reply that the condition of Shaik was still viewed to be terminal and was last reviewed in April 2015. He said Shaik’s house arrest was relaxed to allow him to attend school functions for his son, work and attend sports once a week.
“If he has to travel outside the province, he has to apply for leave of absence like any other offender,” Masutha said in his written reply.
Selfe said Shaik was still alive and well, so much so that his parole conditions allowed him to play one afternoon of sport.
“He has not died ‘a consolatory and dignified death’ eight years after his release, and frankly, he is so well that his parole conditions allow him, with permission, to travel to other provinces,” he said.
Selfe said it was clear that he was never “in the final phase of any terminal disease or condition”.