Cape Town - Social media users were quick to voice their opinions on the sick note that was presented by the lawyer representing former president Jacob Zuma in the "arms deal" case.
On Tuesday, the Pietermaritzburg High Court issued an arrest warrant for Zuma, after he skipped court on grounds of needing medical treatment, but High Court Judge Dhaya Pillay stayed the warrant until his corruption trial resumes on May 6.
Zuma's lawyer Daniel Mantsha presented the judge with a sick note from what he said was a military hospital, but the judge questioned whether the note was valid or even written by a doctor.
However, the warrant of arrest does not mean that the South African Police Services will immediately launch a massive manhunt for Zuma or detain him until his next scheduled appearance on May 6, 2020.
Twitter users were somewhat divided on the former president's sick note:
undefinedZuma’s sick note. Guys. This man is playing poppe fuckin’ huisie here with us. pic.twitter.com/z8SqLuPJjh
— Haji Mohamed Dawjee (@Sage_Of_Absurd) February 4, 2020
There's an arrest warrant for Jacob Zuma for faking being sick. You can sell a whole country to foreigners, take millions in bribes, they'll do nothing. But forge a sick note and they'll arrest you. It's a matter of hours before he tells us he has coronavirus.
— Chester Missing (@chestermissing) February 4, 2020
The sick note which is being ridiculed it comes from a State Military Hospital in Pretoria it is where former President Zuma was treated. Every sick note from a Public Hospital is not different from that one but the Black Bourgeoisie will never understand.
— Andile Lungisa (@mrlungisa) February 4, 2020
undefinedIt became a matter of public record once presented in court. Now no longer private; but evidence.
— Lyndon Jozaffe (@Jozaffe23) February 4, 2020
yesterday, was a great day for entrenching the rule of law.
— Noel (@crowieN) February 5, 2020
Thank you Judge Dhaya Pillay
Zuma failed to provide sufficient proof for his failure to appear with the Judge Dhaya Pillay questioning the admissibility of the sick note he provided.
Bathong Zuma didn't have a sick note connect?
— Gali (@Galinkie) February 5, 2020
The real travesty is that Zuma was confident in submitting that sick note. What does it say about the judiciary? How many such documents have they accepted from Zuma before? Does judge Zondo have a similar document with him? The absurdity!
— Venus FlyTrap - (Sis wa Tito to You). (@vumiley) February 5, 2020
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/Zuma?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Zuma
— Coceka Mfundisi (@Cmfundisi)
Lol Zuma is probably telling Duduzane to walk and trend so that you guys forget about his fake sick note 🤣😂🤣
— Didi (@LedimoSeloyi) February 4, 2020