The Jacob Zuma Foundation has confirmed the former president is in Russia for health reasons and will return once his treatment is complete.
Spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi said Zuma travelled to Russia last week and noted media reports and speculations about his trip.
“Though the trip was private, it was not a secret as incorrectly suggested. Zuma and his team travelled on a commercial flight full of passengers. The foundation wishes its patron good health and a safe return when the doctors release him,” Manyi said.
While in Russia, the Constitutional Court dismissed the department of correctional services’ application for leave to appeal the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) ruling that Zuma should return to prison.
The SCA ruled in November that Zuma had not, in law, completed serving his sentence and should return to the Estcourt Correctional Centre. Zuma was released on medical parole two months into his 15-month sentence.
It is not clear how long he should remain in prison or if he should return, as correctional services announced last year that Zuma’s sentence was fully served.
The ConCourt said this was a matter to be decided by the commissioner of correctional services.
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