South Africa’s top court ruled Monday that former president Jacob Zuma is ineligible to stand for parliament in the upcoming general election. This decision, stemming from Zuma’s previous conviction for contempt of court, disqualifies him under the constitution, which bars anyone sentenced to more than 12 months from being an MP.
Zuma, who left office in 2018 amid corruption allegations, served less than three months of a 15-month sentence. However, the court deemed the remission irrelevant. “Mr Zuma… is accordingly not eligible to be a member of and not qualified to stand for election to the national assembly,” said Justice Leona Theron.
Supporters of Zuma, who formed the MK party to challenge the ruling African National Congress (ANC), gathered outside the court, expressing disappointment and resolve. The party aims to secure enough seats to amend the constitution but faces poor polling outside Zuma’s native KwaZulu-Natal.
Zuma’s disqualification complicates the election dynamics, as the ANC might need to form a coalition if it falls short of a majority. Zuma’s presence on the ballot papers, already printed, will not change his ineligibility to sit as an MP. The decision could also incite unrest, recalling the deadly riots following his 2021 imprisonment.
