The high roller we used to know

The fraudster has lost 20kg, suffers from mood swings and could be losing his sight.

Convicted fraudster Schabir Shaik is a shadow of the enigmatic cigar-smoking, designer-suit-clad businessman he once was.

Now more than 20kg lighter, he's traded in his suit for a pair of pyjamas, a dressing gown and slippers.

The Sunday Times this week got an exclusive peak into the life of the controversial prisoner who, despite public disapproval, has spent a large part of his sentence in the relative comfort of a hospital ward.

He roams the corridors of the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital in Durban, accompanied by prison guards who seem more like his friends than his guardians.

It's been five weeks since he was readmitted to the state hospital ­ his third hospital admission since he was sentenced to a 15-year prison term on charges of fraud and corruption in 2006.

Although the former financial adviser to Jacob Zuma is strictly not allowed to have visitors, the ANC president has already visited him three times ­ the most recent last weekend when Zuma spent an hour "socialising" with his friend.

He previously visited Shaik in prison after he was sentenced and again after the birth of Shaik's son two years ago.

ANC spokesman Jessie Duarte said the party was unaware of Zuma's visits to Shaik.

"We don't know anything about these meetings. We take it that they must have been organised by his private office."

Shaik was spotted this week chatting to his brothers, Chippy and Mo, outside the hospital's cardiac ward.

Little is known about his medical condition, except that he suffers from high levels of hypertension.

His private ward is under 24-hour watch and he's easily spotted, despite his efforts to hide his recognisable face under a beard.

Shaik's friendly and polite to hospital staff and still draws attention.

A mother and her two children visiting a relative were stopped in their tracks when her son shouted out: "It's Shaik!"

His hospital room is filled with pictures of his son, wife and family. He even has a picture of the Santoniccolo family, owners of his favourite restaurant, Spiga d'Oro, in Durban's Florida Road.

Their son, Luca Santoniccolo, 24, was killed in a car accident two years ago.

Shaik was said to be upset following his friend's death and was visited by the family, who gave him the picture.

Daily regional and national newspapers are strewn across his bed ­ evidence of his attempts to stay in touch with daily events.

On his beside table lies a black hard-cover A4 notebook in which his blood pressure is documented.

Each reading is colour-coded to monitor the spikes in his blood pressure. Green is for stable, blue is high and pink is dangerous.

A cardboard box is filled with several boxes of his medication, including one to control his mood swings.

Shaik apparently suffers from grade four retinopathy, stemming from hypertension as a result of his high blood pressure, and is believed to be losing the sight in his left eye.

On Friday afternoon, Shaik was sedated after a "rough" night.

He left the prison guard with strict instructions not to be disturbed and even his brothers were turned away.

With acknowledgements to Monica Laganparsad, Paddy Harper and The Times.