South African police have retaliated against Zuma’s arrest

South African police have worked hard to arrest Jacob Zuma until the former president completes his arrest.

A letter to the South African Constitutional Court from the Minister of Police and the Commissioner of Police has raised concerns that the ruling African National Congress wants to imprison its former leader. Demonstrations of his arrest took place at his home over the weekend.

The Constitutional Court last week ruled that Zuma should go to jail for refusing to participate in a crackdown on corruption. Human rights activists have hailed the ruling as a moment in South Africa’s democracy and a testament to the independence of the courts.

Zuma, whose nine-year tenure was marred by fraud and economic misconduct, failed to appear in court on Sunday. The Constitutional Court has ruled that the police must take Zuma to jail by the end of Wednesday.

But the 79-year-old, who denies all wrongdoing and claims to be politically motivated, has filed two appeals, one in a lower court and one to overturn the ordinance, saying “he was sent to prison for the duration of the epidemic and sentenced me to death.” The trial will take place on July 12.

On Monday, the South African minister and police chief of police filed a lawsuit. The police “, as a result of the crimes that have taken place, have also done what they are expected to do… Pending the outcome of the case,” or a court ruling, the letter said.

The police minister appeared to be back on Tuesday and said he would continue to be arrested if the court did not rule out the possibility. “We have given a court order to advise us,” Bheki Cele, the police chief, told a South African television station in Newzroom Africa on Tuesday. “If he doesn’t give us advice, we have a process that ends at 12 midnight on Wednesday night.”

Legal analysts say Zuma’s efforts have failed and that there was no valid reason for the police to arrest him before the end.

The court order for the police has already been identified, and Zuma’s legal challenges were “completely unnecessary” in this regard, said Dan Mafora, an investigator at the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution, the prosecutor.

“The danger is always that there is no political will to comply with this law,” Mafora said. “Obviously it is destroying the ANC government to arrest the former president. . . trying to donate money if he can. ”

The party collapsed with the help of Zuma’s allies outside his home in KwaZulu-Natal over the weekend. Members opposed a legal ban on rallies under South African law to prevent them from presenting party affiliations and setting up police stations in Nkandla.

The ANC continued to be divided over what happened to Zuma on Tuesday. In a statement, the party has denounced “anti-apartheid and civil war” at Zuma’s home and criticized Zuma’s actions.

“All attempts to respond to lawsuits and charges of intimidation and violence, anywhere, are disgusting,” the party said.

But the ANC also supported Zuma’s opposition to the law. Jessie Duarte, the party’s deputy secretary general, said in a press conference that the former president was “exploring any legal means available to lift or reduce prison sentences.”

“We hope that Zuma’s colleague’s request will succeed,” Duarte added.