How The Incarceration of an Anti-Apartheid Figure and Political Unrest Led to Chaos in South Africa
- Sina
- Jul 17, 2021
- 3 min read
By Sina
Jacob Zuma, the former South African president, was sentenced to prison for 15 months on the 5th of July, 2021. He was accused of contempt of court after he defied many allegations of corruption towards him
Zuma’s controversial past
Zuma was a highly celebrated Anti-Apartheid figure. Closely linked to Nelson Mandela, they were both detained at Robben Island alongside in 1963 for 10 years.
After his sentence, he lived in exile for 15 years in different parts of Africa while still working with the ANC (African National Congress).
In 1990, the former South African President lifted the ban on the ANC and other opposition groups therefore, Zuma will return to South Africa.
In the following years, he became the National Chairperson of the NAC in 1994, the Deputy President of the ANC from 1997 to 2007, and the Deputy President of South Africa from 1999 to 2005.
He then became the president and was in office from 2009 to 2018, until he was forced to resign by the ANC, the ruling political party. During his presidency, he faced more than 780 allegations relating to a 1990’s arms deal and criticism for his relation with an Indian-born family of powerful men, the Guptas.
He even received the Nelson Mandela Award for Outstanding leadership in October 1998.
During his years as a leader, he was accused of rape, corruption, bribery, racketeering, and money laundering. However, all of these claims were dropped.
On October 13, 2017, the Supreme Court of Appeal upheld a ruling by the High Court to reinstate Zuma’s corruption charges which included allowing the Guptas brothers to influence policy and plunder the state's resources.
After ignoring a court summons to appear and give testimony, an inquiry was held into the possible corruption during his presidency and sought to imprison him for 2 years in February 2021. The investigation revealed high-levels of graft, meaning that Zuma had unjustly used his authority for personal gains during his years as the leader of a nation. The former president has not cooperated with the inquiry and denied all wrongdoing. Additionally, his lawyer was not available when called.
The Arrest and Its Controversies
On Tuesday 29th of June, South Africa’s highest court, the Constitutional Court, found former president Zuma guilty of contempt of court and sentenced him to 15 months in prison. Zuma was then ordered to show up at a police station.
In addition, it is said that Zuma tried to wear down the legitimacy of the Constitutional Court by conducting a "politically motivated smear campaign".
On Wednesday 8th July, Zuma handed himself to a police station to uphold his 15 months in prison.
However, Zuma and his lawyers asked for a review of his case, thus a rescission application was applied on July 12th. The court has nonetheless dismissed Zuma’s application. The former president denied any wrongdoing and held views on how he was treated unfairly by the court system. He likened his treatment to apartheid-era where detentions were processed without trial.
Chaos in South Africa
After Zuma’s imprisonment , many protests sparked in Johannesburg. With years of frustration and tensions among the working class about the un-kept promises they were given during the transition to democracy, the arrest was the last straw that ignited riots and lootings around the country.
The current South African President Cyril Ramaphosa deployed the country’s military to settle down the violent protests leading to the death of six people during the riot and the arrests of hundreds more.
Ramaphosa warned that the protests could worsen the pandemic and its vaccinations rollouts in this time of crisis. "We will soon be facing a huge risk of food insecurity and medication insecurity in a few weeks. Our vaccination program has been severely disrupted just as it is gaining momentum," he said.
Protests and looting still occur to this day, consequently, the police shot rubber bullets back. Many people have already been killed and many more have been arrested, it is described as the worst violence the country has seen in years.
What does this mean for the country?
South Africans have long struggled to fight for independence and equality for decades. The nation lived under an un-democratic apartheid regime from 1948 to 1991 which is a system based on racial and ethnic separation.
Zuma’s arrest represents an example of constitutional democracies around the world. This event represents a win for constitutionalism in an area where activists of former liberation movements would often break the law and create chaos in the name of their ideas.
The High Court of South Africa showed the example of being utterly unfazed in front of the possible consequences of this arrest.
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