South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma on Tuesday filed an appeal against a decision by the country’s electoral body to bar him from running in elections set for May 29.
The Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) last week barred Zuma, 81, from taking part in next month’s national and provisional polls, saying the country’s constitution disqualified any person convicted of an offense and sentenced for more than 12 months from contesting in an election.
Zuma received a 15-month sentence in June 2021 in a contempt of court case that triggered widespread violence in two provinces the following month.
However, in papers filed with the Electoral Court on Tuesday, Zuma’s lawyers argued that the sentence did not disqualify him for it followed civil rather than criminal proceedings.
They insisted that the former president “was not charged with an offence by a criminal court, (and) he was not involved in any criminal trial proceedings”.
The Electoral Court has until April 9 to hear any challenges to the IEC’s decision, with the commission expected to publish its final candidate lists a day later.
Zuma is the presidential candidate of the opposition Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) party formed in December 2023 by disgruntled former ruling African National Congress (ANC) supporters.
If the appeal is successful, Zuma is expected to add to the woes of President Cyril Ramaphosa whose ANC is feared to lose more political ground in the wake of worsening economic conditions and allegations of high-level corruption and poor service delivery.
Zuma previously served as South Africa’s president from 2009 to 2018, but left under controversial circumstances following corruption allegations.
He has, however, not been convicted in a court of law.
JN/APA