South Africa’s former President, Jacob Zuma, has begun his 15-month jail term for contempt of court after he turned himself in late Wednesday.
Zuma reported to an unnamed correctional centre facility in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), just minutes to the midnight deadline issued to him.
Police had earlier on Wednesday warned they were prepared to arrest the former leader by midnight deadline to enforce the ruling, unless the top court instructed otherwise.
“Please be advised that (ex) President Zuma has decided to comply with the incarceration order,” Zuma’s foundation tweeted.
“He is on his way to hand himself into a Correctional Services Facility in KZN,” it said, just minutes before the deadline expired.
The Constitutional Court had last week handed Zuma a 15-month prison term for defying its order to honour the summon of a commission of inquiry investigating allegation of graft against him.
Zuma had mounted a last-ditch legal defence and refused to turn himself in by Sunday night as the court ordered.
Under the ruling, police were given three days to arrest him if he failed to surrender.
