Convicted fraud convict Schabir Shaik handed himself over at the Durban High Court around 8.30am on Thursday.
The Durban businessman, also convicted of corruption, was expected to arrive at Durban Westville Prison later in the morning to start serving a 15-year jail term.
His family said in a statement he handed himself over at the court at 8.30am.
”We, as his family, will continue to explore whatever legal and constitutional options that may exist for Schabir,” the statement added.
”We will forever believe in Schabir’s innocence and the fact that his actions, which were deemed criminal by the courts, were out of love, loyalty and comradeship.”
The statement said the investigation into Schabir had been ”extremely harrowing” for him and his family.
”The trauma of his trial, conviction, appeal process and imprisonment has been exacerbated by the intense media coverage, which at times borders on harassment,” said the family.
”Now that Schabir has been incarcerated, we appeal to the media to allow us to grieve the tragedy that has befallen our family. We have nothing further to say on this matter and implore the media to let us be.”
On Tuesday, the Shaik family declared what was described as a ”media shutdown”, refusing to reveal whether Schabir intended taking his case to the Constitutional Court.
Shaik’s appeal against his corruption and fraud convictions was dismissed by a full bench of the Bloemfontein Supreme Court of Appeal on Monday. His sentence was upheld.
Overcrowding
Shaik can expect to share a communal prison cell at the prison with between 40 and 50 other inmates, a former prisoner told the South African Press Association on Thursday.
The cells in the prison’s Medium B section — for long-term prisoners — were designed for 18 people, KwaZulu-Natal’s provincial chair of the South African Prisoners’ Association for Human Rights, Derrick Mdluli, said. Mdluli served time in the prison between 1987 and 1993.
The cells had only one toilet and one bathroom each.
”As you can see, if a prisoner has a runny tummy, there is a big problem.”
He said Shaik had the right to apply for a single cell. These however held an average of three people because of overcrowding.
Mdluli said Shaik’s first meal at midday on Thursday would consist of phutu, a peace of meat, some vegetables and slices of bread. There would be no supper, but he could save the bread for then.
For breakfast on Friday Shaik could expect porridge, tea, coffee or milk and two slices of bread. – Sapa