Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Uganda Monitor
Published on 2024-04-09 18:08:47
The Electoral Court in South Africa has made a significant ruling allowing former President Jacob Zuma to be on the ballot for the upcoming elections scheduled for May 29. This decision came after the court dismissed the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC) initial decision to bar Mr. Zuma from returning to Parliament.
In a ruling delivered on Tuesday afternoon, the court stated, “The appeal succeeds. The decision of the electoral commission of March 28, 2024, in terms of which the electoral commission upheld Dr. Maroba Matsapola’s objection to the second applicant’s candidacy (Mr. Zuma) is set aside and substituted with the following: The objection is hereby dismissed.”
The IEC had previously argued that Mr. Zuma could not be a Member of Parliament due to his conviction for contempt of court and the subsequent 15-month sentence he received in 2021. However, Mr. Zuma’s legal representative, advocate Dali Mpofu, successfully argued in court that the IEC did not have the authority to remove the former president from the list of potential candidates.
Mr. Zuma’s defence team emphasized that there was no trial or verdict in his case, and he was the only individual who served time without a formal conviction. Although he was jailed for defying a Constitutional Court order to appear at the Zondo Inquiry into State Capture in July 2021, Mr. Zuma was granted remission by President Cyril Ramaphosa in August 2023, reducing his sentence to only three months.
On the other hand, advocate Thembeka Ngcukaitobi of the IEC argued that the commission was simply applying the constitution, which prohibits lawbreakers from serving as lawmakers. Despite switching allegiance from the African National Congress (ANC) to the uMkhonto we Sizwe Party, Mr. Zuma has a significant political history within South Africa, having led the ANC party from 2007 to 2017.
This ruling has sparked debate and divided opinions among South Africans, with some supporting Mr. Zuma’s right to run for office and others questioning the integrity of allowing a convicted individual to hold a position in Parliament. The upcoming elections will undoubtedly be closely watched, with Mr. Zuma’s candidacy adding a layer of complexity to an already tense political landscape in South Africa.
As the country prepares for the elections, all eyes will be on how Mr. Zuma’s presence on the ballot will impact the outcome and whether his controversial past will influence voters’ decisions at the polls. The Electoral Court’s decision has set the stage for a potentially contentious election cycle, with Mr. Zuma once again at the center of the political discourse in South Africa.
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