Former South African President Jacob Zuma arrives for the manifesto launch of his newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto town, Johannesburg, South Africa, Saturday, May 18, 2024.
Jerome DeLay/AP
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Jerome DeLay/AP
Former South African President Jacob Zuma arrives for the manifesto launch of his newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto town, Johannesburg, South Africa, Saturday, May 18, 2024.
Jerome DeLay/AP
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – South Africa’s Constitutional Court has ruled that former President Jacob Zuma cannot run for parliament, just nine days before what is seen as the most crucial vote in South Africa’s 30 years of democracy.
This is a major blow to Zuma and his new party, MK, named after the former armed wing of the previous ruling party, the African National Congress. MK are counting on the 82-year-old’s popularity in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal to boost their votes.
Zuma was greeted by an ecstatic crowd at the launch of MK’s manifesto at Orlando Stadium in Soweto this weekend. MK’s poll ratings remain at 10% ahead of next week’s election, surprising many – largely because of his former party, the ruling African National Congress and the radical economic freedoms led by Julius Malema The Fighting Party was damaged.
The Electoral Commission argued to the Supreme Court that because Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in prison for contempt of court in 2021, he was constitutionally barred from running for office. The justices agreed in Monday’s ruling.
“Mr Zuma was convicted and sentenced to more than 12 months’ imprisonment and is therefore ineligible to be a member of the National Assembly or to run for office in the National Assembly,” the ruling said.
“This decision is not surprising and, while disappointing, it does not dismay us,” the MK Party said in a statement.
A similar sentiment was echoed by a handful of MK supporters outside the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg. Lindiwe Mtshali, a member of the MK Women’s Alliance, said she was disappointed but determined by the decision.
“I think it will actually strengthen our campaign because it will give people more reasons to go out and support our cause and vote for the MK Party, because our supporters realize that we face a difficult system that Every effort is being made to destabilize us.
Zuma shocked his lifelong political home, the ruling African National Congress, by joining MK last year. He served as President of South Africa for two terms from 2009 to 2018. He was jailed in 2021 after triggering riots in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal that resulted in more than 300 deaths and widespread looting.
Reacting to today’s ruling, ANC leader and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa dismissed concerns about further violence.
“South Africa has the rule of law to govern us,” he told local radio station 702. “As soon as the Constitutional Court rules, that’s it, our security forces are ready if there is any threat of violence.”
The ANC is still expected to win next week’s election, widely seen as the most important vote since the end of apartheid 30 years ago, with many analysts predicting it will win with less than 50% of the vote for the first time.
