The South African Electoral Court has overturned a previous ruling and granted former President Jacob Zuma permission to participate in the upcoming general election.
This decision clears the path for Zuma to potentially contest the presidency under the banner of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK), a new political entity he aligned with after his departure from the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party.
Scheduled for May 29, the election will see South Africans elect 400 members to the General Assembly, with the newly elected parliament subsequently selecting the nation’s president. Initially barred from running due to his criminal record, Zuma faced an objection to his candidacy, prompting the Independent Electoral Commission to disqualify him.
Under South Africa’s constitution, individuals with criminal convictions resulting in a sentence exceeding 12 months without the option of a fine are ineligible to run for public office. Zuma’s 15-month prison sentence in 2021 stemmed from his defiance of a court order to appear before a judicial commission investigating corruption allegations within government and state-owned enterprises during his tenure as president from 2009 to 2018.
In a concise court order issued on Tuesday, it was announced that an appeal by former President Jacob Zuma and his party had been successful, resulting in the dismissal of the objection against his candidacy.
The uMkhonto weSizwe Party expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, asserting that the electoral commission’s ruling to disqualify Zuma was unjust.
Spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela disclosed that Zuma would feature as the party’s presidential candidate on the ballot, increasing his chances of securing a parliamentary seat. While the MK Party may garner sufficient votes for parliamentary representation, the path to winning a parliamentary majority, a prerequisite for the presidency, remains uncertain.
“We are elated by the court ruling as we have consistently advocated for the rights of President Zuma and the MK Party to be respected,” stated Ndhlela. “Essentially, this means he will stand as our presidential candidate and secure a seat in Parliament following the elections.”
Political analyst Dirk Kotze, affiliated with the University of South Africa, suggested that Zuma could leverage his legal victory to reinforce his assertion that the initial election ban was politically motivated against him.