A South African court overturned the decision by electoral authorities on Tuesday, granting former president Jacob Zuma permission to participate in May’s general elections despite his prior conviction, marking a turn in the country’s political landscape.
The electoral court sided with 81-year-old Zuma, backing his candidacy for the uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party, an emerging opposition force that has unexpectedly surged in the election competition.
“The decision of the Electoral Commission… is set aside,” the court wrote in its ruling seen by AFP.
Despite the ruling, there was no elaboration on the reasoning behind the verdict. The highly anticipated elections are set for May 29, poised to be the most fiercely competitive since South Africa’s transition to democracy in 1994.
Zuma’s eligibility to run for office may emerge as a pivotal determinant.
With his popularity as leverage, MK is anticipated to make substantial gains in the voting base, which has historically aligned with the besieged ruling African National Congress (ANC) — Zuma’s former political bastion.
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This could precipitate the ANC towards its worst result in three decades, seeing it drop below 50 percent of the vote.
Short of a parliamentary majority, it would be forced to seek coalition partners to remain in power.
The electoral commission had earlier excluded Zuma from the contest, arguing that the constitution bars anyone convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months imprisonment.
Zuma was handed a 15-month jail term in June 2021 for his failure to cooperate with a panel investigating financial corruption and nepotism during his time in office.
However, his legal team successfully contended that the provision was not applicable to their client.
During Monday’s court session, they explained to the court that the sentence didn’t disqualify the veteran politician as it arose from civil, not criminal, proceedings and had been reduced through remission.
At a juncture marked by economic fragility and mounting accusations of corruption and mismanagement, the ruling exacerbates the ANC’s challenges in the polls.
According to various opinion surveys, MK enjoys a national support base of over 10 percent, making it the third or fourth most prominent political entity, after the ANC and the liberal Democratic Alliance.