This archive report was first published on 6 July 2021.
Former South African President Jacob Zuma, 79, has been handed a 15-month jail term for contempt by the Constitutional Court, the country's top judicial authority.
However, the police have stated they will not make any move to arrest Zuma until he has fully exhausted his legal battle against the sentence, as per a document seen on Tuesday, July 6, 2021.
On Friday, Zuma rushed to court seeking to halt the execution of the arrest order, with his application due to be heard on Tuesday in the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
Separately, he has pleaded with the Constitutional Court to reconsider and rescind its jail order, with the challenge set to be heard on July 12.
Lawyers for the police have written to the Constitutional Court, stating they will pause on the order to arrest Zuma given the 'unique situation presented by the developments and the legal matrix involved.'
"Out of respect (for) the unfolding litigation processes, (the police will) hold further actions they are expected to take in terms of the honourable court's orders in abeyance, pending the finalisation of the litigation," the letter says.
Zuma was ordered to be jailed for disobeying a court order to appear before a commission probing massive state corruption under his nine-year tenure.
He defiantly declared on Sunday he was prepared to go to prison, even though 'sending me to jail during the height of a pandemic, at my age, is the same as sentencing me to death.'
