Former South African President Jacob Zuma is not out of the woods yet. Indeed, the High Court of Pietermaritzburg in the KwaZulu-Natal province heard the arguments of Zuma’s lawyer, which the court is expected to block the order passed last week by the Constitutional Court, according to which the police have reasons for contempt of court. Arrest Zuma before midnight on Wednesday after he was sentenced last week to 15 months in prison.

The arrest of former South African President Jacob Zuma is imminent. The High Court of Pietermaritzburg in the KwaZulu-Natal province heard the arguments of Zuma’s lawyer on Tuesday. The latter argued that the court should prevent the police from arresting him until the Constitutional Court decides on his request to quash the sentence, which will be heard on 12 July.

Jacob Zuma was found guilty of contempt for failing to comply with a court order to appear before a commission of inquiry into corruption charges when he was president from 2009 to 2018. One of Zuma’s lawyers, Dali Mpofu, argued in court on Tuesday that Interior Minister Bhiki Sele had not opposed his client’s request and that no one had argued that it posed a risk or if his request. If he fails, he will avoid arrest.

In a counter-argument, lawyer Tembeka Ngkukatobi said that Zuma had already violated a court order by not surrendering to the authorities. Ngkukatobi, representing the commission of inquiry, said Zuma should have already handed himself over to the police. “We are dealing here with an obstinate and obstinate law breaker in the person of Mr. Zuma. He has now come to you to help him (the court) break the law. You must reject it,” said Ngkukatobi Said. The decision in this matter will be pronounced on this Friday.

Remember that over the weekend hundreds of supporters of Jacob Zuma had gathered in front of his property in the rural area of ​​Nakandala in KwaZulu-Natal, vowing to stop any attempt to stop him. Defying the country’s Covid-19 rules against public gatherings, they gathered again, many without masks, and sang songs praising Zuma’s role in the fight against apartheid, South Africa’s former white minority regime. .

However, the African National Congress (ANC), the party of the charismatic political leader Nelson Mandela led by Zuma from 2007 to 2017, yesterday condemned the actions of supporters of the former South African president and called for support for the rule of law.