Court case

How the Zuma contempt case unfolded

The Secretary of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture applied urgently to the Constitutional Court for an order declaring Zuma in contempt for not complying with the court's order directing him to appear and give evidence before the Commission, and asked for a two-year prison sentence.

🇿🇦 South Africa

22 February 2021 to today · 5 dated events · 5 sources

Where it stands now · as of 30 October 2026

As of 30 October 2026 the contempt finding stands and the sentence is no longer being served after the August 2023 remission.

Overview · 22 Feb 2021 to 11 Aug 2023 · click a dot to jump

2021

22 Feb 2021

Filing

State Capture Commission files its contempt application in the Constitutional Court

Polity (Creamer Media)#

29 Jun 2021

Turning point

Ruling

Constitutional Court finds Zuma in contempt and sentences him to 15 months

Secretary of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture v Zuma and Others [2021] ZACC 18, CCT 52/21. Declared Zuma guilty of the crime of contempt of court for failing to comply with the order in [2021] ZACC 2 and sentenced him to 15 months' imprisonment, described as direct and unsuspended committal.

Constitutional Court of South Africa (SAFLII)#

7 Jul 2021

Legal step

Zuma hands himself over to police and is taken to prison

Dubai Eye 103.8 #

17 Sep 2021

Ruling

Constitutional Court dismisses the rescission application

Zuma v Secretary of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture [2021] ZACC 28. Dismissed Zuma's application to rescind the contempt judgment, holding that he chose not to participate and that rescission could not be used to rehear the merits.

Constitutional Court of South Africa (Laws.Afric #

· · · 23 months later

2023

11 Aug 2023

Turning point

Ruling

After courts held his earlier medical parole unlawful, Zuma reports to Estcourt Correctional Centre and is released on remission the same day

Announcement on remission of sentences. The National Commissioner announced that Zuma, who had reported back to Estcourt Correctional Centre after the Supreme Court of Appeal held his medical parole unlawful, was released under a remission of sentences approved by the President.

Daily Maverick #

Key facts

Parties	Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma
Jurisdiction	South Africa
Legal status	Liability determined
Allegation made by	Secretary of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture

Legal status

Found guilty of the crime of contempt of court by the Constitutional Court and sentenced to 15 months' unsuspended imprisonment. The rescission application was dismissed. The remaining sentence ended through a general remission of sentences in August 2023, which is not a pardon or a setting aside of the finding.

The subject's position

Zuma did not take part in the contempt hearing. In his rescission application he argued that the order was granted in his absence, that it infringed his constitutional rights, that he was sentenced without a trial or a chance to address mitigation, and that he was singled out because he is a former president. His foundation said he decided to comply with the incarceration order.

Who is involved

Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma
President of South Africa, 2009 to 2018.

Terms explained

Contempt of court here was a criminal finding by the Constitutional Court, separate from any finding on state capture or the arms deal.

Remission shortens the time served under a sentence. It does not overturn the conviction.

Claims and responses

What was alleged, what the subject said, and what was established, on our sister site.

Read on Claim & Response →

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Sources

5 records, ranked by type

1Official record29 Jun 2021
Secretary of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture v Zuma and Others [2021] ZACC 18
Constitutional Court of South Africa (SAFLII) · saflii.org
Open original ↗Archived copy
2Official record17 Sep 2021
Zuma v Secretary of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture [2021] ZACC 28
Constitutional Court of South Africa (Laws.Africa Law Library) · lawlibrary.org.za
Open original ↗Archived copy
3News report8 Jul 2021
South Africa's Zuma hands himself over to police (Reuters)
Dubai Eye 103.8 · dubaieye1038.com
Open original ↗Archived copy
4News report11 Aug 2023
No prison time for Jacob Zuma after remission decision
Daily Maverick · dailymaverick.co.za
Open original ↗Archived copy
5News report22 Feb 2021
State capture commission wants Jacob Zuma jailed for two years for contempt
Polity (Creamer Media) · polity.org.za
Open original ↗Archived copy

Last updated 30 October 2026. Spotted an error? See corrections. Every event links to the record it comes from. Allegations are attributed to whoever made them.