Durban - Medical parolees Jacob Zuma and Schabir Shaik, were photographed side-by-side at the opening of the brand new swanky “Zuma” restaurant at the weekend.
The pair are seen in a video posted on Twitter, by Zuma's daughter, Dudu Zuma-Sambudla, standing back to back in a revolving photo booth. Both are dressed in dark suits.
“The media thought they would meet on the golf course but they met at Zuma restaurant. (Now you know I had to give the haters chest pains)” tweeted Zuma Sambudla.
There was a second post showing a jovial Zuma dancing in the photo booth.
The Media Thought They Would Meet On The Golf Course But They Met At Zuma Restaurant
— Dudu Zuma-Sambudla (@DZumaSambudla) November 25, 2022
(Now You Know I Had To Give The Haters Chest Pains...) pic.twitter.com/fHUBr0s86U
President Zuma Had A Great Friday Night Dining Out At Zuma Restaurant... pic.twitter.com/CmuGYxXJBX
— Dudu Zuma-Sambudla (@DZumaSambudla) November 25, 2022
Thank You To The Kitchen Gangster, Allan, For Having President Zuma At The Opening Of Zuma Restaurant
— Dudu Zuma-Sambudla (@DZumaSambudla) November 26, 2022
Location: Pearls At Umhlanga
Food: 10/10 I'm Definitely Going Back
Vibe: I Didn't Want To Leave
Service: International
President Zuma Had The Fish. Top Tier pic.twitter.com/XDF2xFKMFd
President Jacob Zuma Opening Zuma Restaurant pic.twitter.com/SDOdHDwAmr
— Dudu Zuma-Sambudla (@DZumaSambudla) November 25, 2022
Last week on Tuesday, the Supreme Court of Appeal unanimously confirmed that the medical parole granted to the former president by then-prisons boss Arthur Fraser was unlawful – and it ruled he should return to jail.
IOL reported that in a decision written by Judge Tati Makgoka, the SCA stressed that the effect of its order that Zuma had unlawfully been granted medical parole was that “Mr Zuma, in law, has not finished serving his sentence”.
The Department of Correctional Services confirmed that it will appeal the decision.
Zuma was sentenced for contempt of court after he ignored instructions to appear before the Zondo Commission.
Shaik was sentenced to 15 years behind bars – two terms of 15 years for corruption and one term of three years for fraud. The sentences ran concurrently meaning Shaik was then handed a 15-year prison sentence.
Shaik began his prison sentence in November 2006.
However, in March 2009, Zuma approved Shaik's bid to be released on medical parole on the grounds that he was terminally ill and would serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest at his Durban home.
When President Cyril Ramaphosa granted pardons and remissions to 14 500 offenders in December 2019, Shaik was amongst those considered to have served more than 13 years of his sentence and by January 2020, he became a free man.
IOL