South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma cannot run in this month’s general elections after the country’s top court ruled to bar him.
Zuma, who resigned as president in 2018, fell out with the governing African National Congress (ANC).
He has been campaigning for a new party called uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) named after the ANC’s formed armed wing.
Zuma was planning to contest in parliamentary election but on Monday the constitutional court ruled that Zuma’s 15-month jail sentence for contempt of court in 2021 disqualified him from standing in the May 29 election.
The court said the constitution prohibits anyone given a prison sentence of 12 months or longer from holding a parliamentary seat.
“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 ruling said.
MK secretary general Sihle Ngubane has said that the party was disappointed with the ruling, but it would not affect its campaign.
“He is still the leader of the party. It [the judgment] doesn’t affect our campaign at all,” he said.
There are concerns this ruling could spark violent reaction from Zuma supporters ahead of the elections.
President Cyril Ramaphosa told a local radio station that “I’m not concerned about this instigating violence.”
“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,” he said.
Source: Africafeeds.com
