South Africa: Top court rules ex-president Zuma ineligible for parliament

South Africa’s highest court has declared that former president Jacob Zuma cannot run for parliament in next week’s pivotal general election.

This unanimous ruling concludes months of speculation and legal battles over whether the controversial former leader of the African National Congress (ANC) could stand for the country’s top legislative body.

Zuma, who was ousted as president in 2018 amid numerous corruption scandals and internal ANC conflicts, faced legal hurdles following his conviction for contempt of court. His refusal to testify before an anti-corruption commission led to a sentence that now bars him from parliamentary candidacy.

Justice Leona Theron, delivering the court’s decision on Monday, stated, “(Zuma) is accordingly not eligible to be a member of and not qualified to stand for election to the national assembly until five years have elapsed since the completion of his sentence.”

The ruling has been met with approval from anti-corruption advocates.

“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. The constitutional court has reaffirmed this,” said Neeshan Balton of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation on local television.

Zuma, now a prominent figure in the newly formed uMkhonto WeSizwe Party, poses a significant threat to the ANC’s dominance, especially in KwaZulu-Natal province. ANC insiders express concern that Zuma’s faction could erode the party’s support base in this key region.

The upcoming May 29th election is poised to be one of the most challenging for the ANC since the era of Nelson Mandela, with a multitude of opposition parties competing for votes. Analysts suggest that the ANC’s majority is in jeopardy.

Despite Zuma’s disqualification, his party remains in the race, and his influence continues as his image features prominently on the ballot.

Nhlamulo Ndhlela, a leader of the uMkhonto WeSizwe Party, criticized the court’s decision, asserting its bias against Zuma. “It doesn’t change President Zuma being on the ballot and it doesn’t stop him from leading the party,” Ndhlela told CNN, indicating their unwavering campaign efforts.