Schabir Shaik was arrested 'to establish whether he had breached his parole conditions' and will be kept at the Westville correctional centre for 72 hours

OPPOSITION parties have welcomed yesterday's arrest of convicted fraudster Schabir Shaik.

"This is very welcome news. Clearly this is the end of the road for a man who has conducted himself as an untouchable and has managed to dupe the government into believing that he was gravely ill," Indepedent Democrats secretary Haniff Hoosen said.

Correctional Services spokesperson Sonwabo Mbananga yesterday confirmed that Shaik was arrested and would be kept at the Westville correctional centre for 72 hours.

Mbananga said the department did not arrest Shaik as a result of a case being opened against him.

"The minister felt it was necessary to arrest Shaik while there was an investigation to establish whether he had breached his parole conditions," Mbananga said.

He said the parole board would decide after the investigations whether to tighten parole condition or cancel his parole.

Shaik reportedly caused a commotion at a Durban mosque after lunch time on Friday when he allegedly assaulted a distraught father, Mohamed Ismael, who was on his way to hospital to attend to his gravely ill daughter.

This is the second incident in less than three weeks in which Shaik has been accused of assault.

His alleged attack on a Durban journalist last month prompted the parole board to demand a meeting with him at which he is expected to explain his actions.

Shaik was released on medical parole in 2009 after he was sentenced to 15 years on charges of fraud and corruption in 2005.

Themba Godi of the African People's Convention (APC) said it was about time Shaik was arrested.

"Otherwise an impression will have been created that because of his closeness to power he was untouchable," Godi said.

"Nobody should sympathise with him. He should blame himself because he was lucky to get parole in the first place," the United Democratic Movement's Bantu Holomisa said.

Azapo president Jake Dikobo said: "We don't know why this didn't happen sooner. Shaik's parole has undermined people's confidence in the justice system."

"He must go back to jail and serve his full sentence" Sipho Ngwema of Cope said.

"We urge the parole board to take decisive action against Shaik if their investigation finds him in violation of his parole conditions," the DA's David Selfe said.

Derrick Mdluli of the Justice for Prisoners and Detainees Trust also welcomed Shaik's arrest.

"If he has broken any of his parole conditions he should be rearrested as happens to any other prisoner," Mdluli said.

ANC spokesperson Brian Sokutu said the law should be allowed to take its course.

"Shaik should be afforded an opportunity to defend himself against any allegations he faces."

Shaik's brush with the law started several years ago when he was arrested for fraud and corruption. Shaik, among other things, pleaded not guilty to the charges on 10 October 2004. He asserted in his plea explanation that the State had misunderstood his dealings with President Jacob Zuma. Shaik was Zuma's financial adviser.