The Electoral Court in South Africa has delivered a significant ruling, declaring that former president Jacob Zuma is eligible to participate in the upcoming elections scheduled for May 29. The decision comes as a blow to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), which had previously barred Zuma from contesting in the elections.
In a verdict announced on Tuesday afternoon, the court dismissed the IEC’s decision to disqualify Zuma from returning to parliament, overturning the objection raised against his candidacy. The ruling stated, “The objection is hereby dismissed,” effectively allowing Zuma to proceed with his bid for parliamentary office.
The IEC had cited Zuma’s prior conviction for contempt of court and subsequent 15-month prison sentence in 2021 as grounds for his disqualification. However, the court’s decision to overturn this ruling followed arguments presented by Zuma’s legal representative, advocate Dali Mpofu, who contended that the IEC lacked the authority to remove the former president from the electoral list.
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Zuma’s defense team further emphasized the absence of a trial or plea in the contempt case, asserting that Zuma had been incarcerated without a formal verdict. Zuma, leader of the uMkhonto we Sizwe Party, had been imprisoned in July 2021 for defying a Constitutional Court order to appear at the Zondo Inquiry into state capture. However, he served only three months of his 15-month sentence, as President Cyril Ramaphosa granted him remission in August 2023.
Advocate Thembeka Ngcukaitobi of the IEC argued that the commission was enforcing section 47 of the South African Constitution, which prohibits lawbreakers from serving as lawmakers. Zuma’s defection from the African National Congress (ANC) to join uMkhonto we Sizwe last year marked a significant shift in South African politics. He had previously led the ANC from 2007 to 2017.
The court’s ruling sets the stage for Zuma’s political comeback and adds a new dimension to the forthcoming elections, with implications for South Africa’s political landscape.
