South African Court Rules Former President Jacob Zuma Ineligible for Parliament Run.

By Caroline Ameh

South Africa’s constitutional court has delivered a landmark ruling, determining that former president Jacob Zuma is ineligible to contest a parliamentary seat in the upcoming general election on May 29. This decision, closely watched by political observers, carries significant implications for the electoral landscape.

Zuma, who stepped down as president in 2018 under pressure from the African National Congress (ANC), has since distanced himself from the party and has been actively campaigning for a new political entity called uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), named after the ANC’s former armed wing.

Recent opinion polls have indicated a potential threat to the ANC’s longstanding majority after three decades in power, with MK gaining traction, particularly in Zuma’s stronghold of KwaZulu-Natal.

The legal dispute leading to the constitutional court’s decision stemmed from the South African electoral commission’s March decision to disqualify Zuma from running for parliament. The basis of this disqualification was rooted in the country’s constitution, which prohibits individuals sentenced to 12 months or more in prison from holding parliamentary seats.

Recall that in 2021, Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in jail for contempt of court after failing to appear at a corruption inquiry. However, in April, a lower court overturned the electoral commission’s disqualification, arguing that the constitutional provision applied only to individuals who had exhausted their appeals process, which was not the case for Zuma at the time.

Challenging the lower court’s decision, the electoral commission brought the matter before the constitutional court.

In its ruling on Monday, the constitutional court affirmed Zuma’s ineligibility for parliamentary candidacy, stating, “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.”

Zuma’s imprisonment in 2021 had triggered widespread unrest, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, resulting in over 300 deaths and widespread looting.

This ruling adds a new dimension to South Africa’s political landscape, further complicating the dynamics within the ANC and potentially altering the outcome of the upcoming election.