DURBAN: Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour was accused yesterday of playing political "ping pong" with convicted Durban fraudster Schabir Shaik.

Shaik's brother, Mo Shaik, said: "The rights and health of an offender cannot be used as political ping pong by political parties in parliament. It is simply unacceptable that every time the minister has to answer questions, before he stands up in parliament, Schabir Shaik is moved."

Mo Shaik's comments followed Balfour telling parliament's correctional services portfolio committee earlier yesterday: "I have a report here ... that's coming from our doctors in KwaZulu-Natal. I read the report last night and I made up my mind ... by 6am this morning, Schabir Shaik is back in prison."

Shaik said he had received a call from a Correctional Services official at 4am yesterday informing him of his brother's move back to Westville Prison "at the minister's instructions".

Schabir Shaik was referred to the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital in Durban over a month ago, after he spent two months at a prison infirmary and 83 days at St Augustine's hospital. While at Qalakabusha prison in Empangeni, Shaik was treated for hypertension and other blood pressure-related conditions.

Balfour said it would be "very unethical" to make the medical report public.

"He's back in prison. I've made sure that he goes, based on this report, not based on anything else ..."

Mo Shaik said he had seen the report compiled by doctors at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital. "He's (Balfour) reading the wrong report," he said.

"The report is of a serious nature. In fact, the report I've seen says severe, uncontrolled hypertension and target organ damage. Damage to the heart. Peripheral vascular disease. They way I understand it, this is serious and the doctors planned to continue their investigations," he said.

He said the report had been compiled by doctors who had treated Shaik at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital, and that the group included government-assigned doctors.

Mo Shaik said he was "very upset" and described the timing of his brother's move back to Westville Prison as "despicable".

Inspecting Judge of Prisons Justice Nathan Erasmus told Sapa that his report that was given to the minister did not comment on Schabir Shaik's medical status, and "only speculates" as to whether Shaik's condition had improved sufficiently to warrant his being moved back to prison.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and Cape Times.