The Electoral Commission of South Africa wants the high court to resolve the issue of Zuma's candidacy

The Electoral Commission of South Africa has said that it has appealed to the Supreme Court in the country asking it to give a decision on whether the former president of the country, Jacob Zuma, can be a candidate in the general election in May or not.

The commission said in its statement last Friday that it has submitted an "urgent and direct" appeal to the Constitutional Court to provide "certainty" on the correct interpretation of the article of the constitution related to the candidacy of people who have been found guilty.

"Such transparency is important in the current issue but also for future elections," the statement said.

The appeal is the latest step in the legal dispute concerning the eligibility of the 81-year-old politician to run in the next election, after the electoral court ruled this week that Zuma can run for the position, overturning the previous decision that prevented him from running. .

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.

Analysts say that the lack of MPs will force the ANC to find allies to stay in power, an issue that will make Zuma an important trump card in the race to elect the next citizen of South Africa.