South Africa Former President Jacob Zuma to Run in General Elections
By Priviledge Zviregei
In a surprising turn of events, a South African court has overturned the decision by electoral authorities and granted former president Jacob Zuma permission to run in the upcoming general elections scheduled for May. The court ruling has paved the way for Zuma’s participation in the election campaign, leading the newly formed opposition party uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK).
The Electoral Court made the decision in favor of Zuma, aged 81, who has emerged as a dark horse in the election race. “The decision of the Electoral Commission is set aside,” stated the court in its ruling. However, the court did not provide an explanation for how this verdict was reached.
South Africa is gearing up for what is expected to be the most fiercely contested general election since the country embraced democracy in 1994. Zuma’s ability to stand for office could significantly impact the outcome of the elections.
With his considerable popularity, Zuma’s MK party is anticipated to make significant inroads into the vote share of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), his former political home. This scenario could potentially result in the ANC experiencing its worst electoral performance in three decades, potentially falling below the critical 50 percent mark. In such a case, the ANC would be compelled to seek coalition partners to retain power, as it would no longer hold a parliamentary majority.
Previously, the electoral commission had excluded Zuma from the electoral contest, citing a constitutional provision that prohibits individuals convicted of an offense and sentenced to more than 12 months’ imprisonment from participating. Zuma had been sentenced to 15 months in jail in June 2021 for refusing to testify before a panel investigating financial corruption and cronyism during his presidency. Nonetheless, Zuma’s legal team successfully argued that this provision did not apply to their client.
During Monday’s court proceedings, Zuma’s lawyers stressed that the sentence did not disqualify the veteran politician since it resulted from civil rather than criminal proceedings, and had been shortened due to a remission.
The ruling comes at a time when the ANC is grappling with declining support due to a sluggish economy and allegations of corruption and mismanagement. Some opinion polls indicate that MK could garner more than 10 percent of the national vote, positioning it as the third or fourth political force behind the ANC and the liberal Democratic Alliance.
