A South African court has overturned the decision of electoral authorities to bar former President Jacob Zuma from running in the country’s general elections next month.
Earlier last month, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) having received an objection against his candidature, favoured a rule to bar Zuma from running for a seat in Parliament on behalf of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK).
Apparently, the constitution of South Africa does not allow individuals who have been convicted of a crime and sentenced to more than 12 months in prison without the option of a fine to stand for elections as lawmakers.
Zuma was declared disqualified due to a conviction in 2021 and jailing for contempt of court. He was sentenced to 15 months after he refused to testify to a panel investigating corruption under his government.
Zuma’s lawyers had argued that the sentence did not disqualify him as it followed civil rather than criminal proceedings and had been shortened by a remission.
Afterwards, the court in a brief court order released on Tuesday, announced that the appeal by Zuma and his party was successful and that the objection against his candidacy had been dismissed.
The MK party was ecstatic at the court verdict because sitting to them, President Zuma and the MK Party’s rights had been upheld.
According to Nhlamulo Ndhlela, the party’s spokesman, Zuma will appear on the ballot as the party’s presidential candidate and is very likely to be elected as a lawmaker.
