A South African court has barred Zuma from contesting the next election
The Constitutional Court of South Africa has announced that Jacob Zuma, the former President of the country, does not have the qualifications to be a candidate in the next election.
The Constitutional Court of South Africa has announced that Jacob Zuma, the former President of the country, does not have the qualifications to be a candidate in the next election.
The court ruled yesterday on Monday that the country's former president Jacob Zuma is not eligible to run in the elections to be held next week.
The decision of the court has been closely monitored especially due to the possibility of affecting the results of the election.
The case is based on the March decision of the Electoral Commission in South Africa to remove Zuma from the election on the grounds that the constitution prevents anyone who has served a prison term of 12 months or more from holding a position in Parliament.
In 2021, Zuma was sentenced to 15 years in prison for failing to appear in court to hear the case against him on suspicion of involvement in corruption.
Zuma hopes to run for the presidency on the ticket of the Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MK), which he joined last year after throwing mud at the ruling African National Congress (ANC) which he once led.
On May 29, South Africans will vote to elect 400 members of Parliament. A month later, members of parliament in the new parliament will elect the next president.
Considering Zuma's popularity, the MK party hopes to win enough votes that will guarantee it parliamentary seats, and break a part of the ANC party's votes. Reports say, the number of ANC seats is likely to drop below 50 percent for the first time since 1994.
