This archive report was first published on 9 July 2021.
On July 9, 2021, Jacob Zuma, South Africa's former president, began serving a 15-month sentence for contempt at the Estcourt Correctional Centre in KwaZulu-Natal province.
Located 180 kilometres northwest of Durban, Estcourt is a small livestock town with a rich history. The town was named in 1863 in honour of Thomas Estcourt, a British parliamentarian who sponsored settlers to migrate there.
Estcourt is perhaps best known for its bacon factory, one of the oldest in South Africa, which produces the popular Eskort brand of bacon and spare ribs.
The Estcourt Correctional Centre is a medium-security prison that houses both youth and adult prisoners. Built in 1966, the prison was fully refurbished and re-opened in 2019 with state-of-the-art facilities, including a training centre to provide offenders with marketable skills.
According to Justice Minister Ronald Lamola, Jacob Zuma will undergo standard medical checks and spend 14 days in isolation in line with Covid-19 regulations. The authorities have insisted that Zuma will not receive any favourable treatment.
