South Africa’s jailed former President Jacob Zuma has been placed on medical parole because of his ill health, the government’s correctional services department said on Sunday.

“Medical parole placement for Mr Zuma means that he will complete the remainder of the (15-month) sentence in the system of community corrections, whereby he must comply with a specific set of conditions and will be subjected to supervision,” the department of correctional services said.

When Zuma handed himself in on July 7, protests by his supporters escalated into riots.