Electoral Court in South Africa rules that former President can stand for election

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Former South African President Jacob Zuma in the Electoral High Court in Johannesburg Monday April 8 2024. South Africa’s Electoral Court has ruled, Tuesday, April 9, 2024 that Zuma can stand for office as a lawmaker in the country’s upcoming elections, (AP Photo)

By Kasim Isa Muhammad
Kanempress News
11th April 2024

The Electoral Court in South Africa has ruled that former President Jacob Zuma can run for office as a lawmaker in the upcoming election, overturning an earlier decision, which had barred him from contesting the polls.

The decision paves the way for Zuma to run for president on behalf of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party, a new political organization, which he joined in 2023 after denouncing the ruling African National Congress party that he once led.

The Independent Electoral Commission had earlier ruled that Zuma could not run for office due to his criminal record, after it received an objection against his candidature.

South African constitution does not allow people, who have been convicted of a crime and sentenced to over 12 months in prison without the option of a fine to stand for elections as lawmakers.

Zuma was convicted and sentenced to 15 months imprisonment in 2021 for defying a court order to appear before a judicial commission, probing corruption allegations in government and state-owned companies during his presidential term from 2009 to 2018.

However, in a brief court order released on Tuesday, the court announced that an appeal by Zuma and his party was successful and that the objection against his candidature had been dismissed.