The North Gauteng High Court, based in the city of Pretoria disregarded on Wednesday the medical parole decision for former South African President Jacob Zuma and ordered his return to Westville Prison in Kwazulo Natal.

"The decision is clearly wrong and there are strong prospects that the High Court will come to an entirely different conclusion," Zuma's foundation's Twitter feed read.

The former president of South Africa was serving a 15-month sentence for contempt of court by refusing to participate in a corruption inquiry. However, for health reasons he continued with serving his sentence outside the prison in September.

Also in September, that court rejected a bid by Zuma's defense to overturn the sentence.

The legal proceedings for alleged corruption during his nine-year tenure (2009-2018) are widely seen as a test of South Africa's ability to enforce the rule of law in the post-apartheid period, particularly, against powerful and well-connected people.

Among charges of bribery, irregularities, a separate corruption case is running against Zuma related to his dismissal as vice president in 2005 when he was implicated in a $2 billion government arms deal.

The trial on this case, which has been postponed for several years, is expected to continue next year.

Recall that Zuma turned himself in on July 7 to begin his prison sentence, setting off the worst violence South Africa had seen in years when his supporters took to the streets. More than 300 people were killed and thousands of businesses were looted and decimated.

The Department of Correctional Services said in a statement that it would elaborate on its grounds for appeal at a later date.