Publication: Cape Argus Issued: Date: 2008-08-19 Reporter: Paul Kirk

Shaik's Not That Ill, says Associate

 

Publication 

Cape Argus
Date

2008-08-19
Reporter Paul Kirk

Web Link

www.capeargus.co.za



Johannesburg - The man who first suggested medical parole for Schabir Shaik has told The Citizen that, while the convicted fraudster does not look well, he appeared to be in good health and is definitely being treated far better than other prisoners.

Derrick Mdluli, chairman of the Justice for Prisoners and Detainees Trust, told The Citizen that when he visited Shaik he "wasn't happy and seemed troubled and slightly ill, but was not at all at death's door."

Mdluli told The Citizen that after his first visit Shaik's brother, Mo, forbade any more visits between him and Schabir.

"I was told I could only visit Schabir with the consent of the family and that things had to be stage-managed. I wouldn't accept that. I am not part of their propaganda machinery."

Mdluli is one of the very few people outside of the Department of Correctional Services to have seen Shaik in hospital. Mdluli said that, having dealt with the prison system for decades and having personally met Shaik, he was utterly convinced that Shaik was receiving special treatment because of his links to senior ANC politicians.

But Mdluli said he won't be complaining about the favouritism: "Shaik is a prisoner and as such he is part of my constituency. If he is lucky enough to be treated like this then I will not ruin it for him.

"I don't want to drag everyone down to the level that most prisoners are treated. I would far rather try to get the same rights and proper treatment that Shaik enjoys for everyone else.

"Your average prisoner gets one meal a day at noon and has to make that do for supper as well."

If Shaik is released on medical parole he cannot be taken back into custody should his medical condition miraculously improve.

Shaik is guarded by a single plainclothes policeman at Albert Luthuli hospital and is not allowed any visitors from the media.

He is not, however, receiving any specialist treatment at the institution, which is a specialist hospital with state-of-the art equipment and facilities.


This is a lovely article. We all know that once JZ is president Schabir will be pardoned. So he will live this life of luxury until the elections, after wich he will be making millions again as free as a bird. Just makes us believe in the system..

Mark T
2008-08-20
 

Thanks Mark T for putting the last piece into the jigsaw puzzle... the penny has just dropped *1 in my head. I always wondered why Schabir sat so quiet in court and was prepared to do 15 years in jail without implicating Zuma in any way and why Schabir was prepared to do time for someone else. It is all part of the big scheme of things and a way of keeping all the embezzelled bucks with minimal amount of damage in the interim. Pity the masses can't see through this before going to the polling stations next year !!!!!

Dozey
2008-08-20

 

*1       Dozey has been a dozin' for the last three years, but at least he eventually woke up.  

With acknowledgements to Paul Kirk and Cape Argus.