In a landmark ruling, South Africa’s Constitutional Court has disqualified former President Jacob Zuma from running for parliament in next week’s general election. The court upheld Zuma’s 15-month prison sentence for contempt of court, citing his conviction in 2021 for refusing to testify at a corruption inquiry.
Zuma, who leads the newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, has been campaigning despite his criminal record. However, the court’s unanimous decision has dealt a blow to his political ambitions.
MK secretary general Sihle Ngubane expressed disappointment but vowed that the party’s campaign would continue unaffected. “He is still the leader of the party. It doesn’t affect our campaign at all,” Ngubane said.
The electoral commission will remove Zuma’s name from MK’s list of parliamentary candidates, although his image will remain on ballot papers alongside the party’s logo.
Zuma’s supporters, who had threatened violence if he was disqualified, sang and danced outside the court, portraying him as a victim. However, MK officials have shifted their focus to securing a two-thirds majority to change the constitution and potentially pave the way for Zuma’s return to power.
The court’s ruling upholds the integrity of South Africa’s democratic regime, established after the end of apartheid in 1994. Justice Leona Theron emphasized that the constitution bars anyone sentenced to 12 months in prison without the option of a fine from serving in parliament.
