Former South African President Jacob Zuma is barred from running for parliament in this month’s election, the country’s top court has ruled. This judgement could influence the outcome and trigger unrest from Zuma’s supporters.
The constitutional court found Zuma’s 15-month jail sentence for contempt of court in 2021 valid and disqualified him from standing in the May 29 election. “It is declared that Mr. Zuma was convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months’ imprisonment, … and is accordingly not eligible to be a member of, and not qualified to stand for election to, the National Assembly,” the court ruled. The constitution prohibits anyone given a prison sentence of 12 months or longer from holding a parliamentary seat.
South Africa’s electoral commission originally disqualified Zuma in March. However, a court overturned the disqualification a month later. It cited the relevant section of the constitution which applied only to people who had a chance to appeal against their sentences. This had not been Zuma’s case. The electoral commission then took the case to the constitutional court. It said previously that his face will still appear on ballots this month as he is the registered leader of the MK party. This would have been the case notwithstanding his disqualification from standing as a member of parliament.
Zuma, who was forced to quit as president in 2018, has fallen out with the governing African National Congress (ANC). He has since been campaigning for a new party called uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), named after the ANC’s former armed wing.
In 2021, Zuma’s jailing triggered riots in his home province KwaZulu-Natal, in which more than 300 people died and which morphed into a wider spate of looting.
Asked about the possibility of violence in the wake of the constitutional court ruling, President Cyril Ramaphosa said in an interview with local radio station 702: “We have rule of law in South Africa that governs us. Once a constitutional court has decided, that is it and should there be any threat of violence our security forces are ready”.
Opinion polls suggest two scenarios: one is that the ANC’s majority is at risk after 30 years in power. The other one being MK representing a threat to it, especially in KwaZulu-Natal where Zuma is popular. However, an Ipsos opinion poll published in April put support for MK at roughly 8%, versus just over 40% for the ANC.
The ANC is still on track to get the most votes. However, in case it gets less than 50% support it would have to seek one or more coalition partners to govern the country. It would be the first such alliance since the party swept to power under liberation hero Nelson Mandela at the end of apartheid.
With inputs from Reuters
