Johannesburg, 20 May,2024 (GNP): South Africa’s apex court has declared that Ex-president Jacob Zuma is not eligible to contest for parliament in next week’s critical general election.
Zuma was forced to resign as president in 2018 after a series of corruption cases and internal clashes in the ANC.
He was found guilty of contempt of court by the same constitutional court for his rejection to affirm to an anti-corruption commission.
Zuma is declared not eligible to be a member of and not qualified to contest for election to the national assembly till five years have elapsed since the completion of his sentence.
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“We welcomed the judgement, and we think it is well reasoned. A contempt of court sentence is an extremely important sentence, and it is a sentence that cannot be treated lightly.
Zuma and his newly established Party represent a spoiler threat to the ANC, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal province. And ANC insiders fear they could eat away at the ruling party’s support there.
The vote on May 29th could be the harshest trial yet for the party of Nelson Mandela with scores of opposition parties vying for ballots.
Many analysts believe that the party’s majority is under threat. While the court ruled that Zuma is not eligible to contest for MP, his party will still contest the election and his face will remain on the ballot.
Nhlamulo Ndhlela, a party leader of uMkhonto WeSizwe told to media, the court is biased against the Ex-president and they plan to continue campaigning.
Ndhlela stated that “It doesn’t change President Zuma being on the ballot and it doesn’t stop him from leading the party.”
