Former President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma has filed an appeal against the country’s electoral commission, which barred him from contesting in the upcoming polls.
Zuma stepped down following several graft allegations and was slammed with a 15-month prison sentence in 2021 for contempt of court. The constitution stipulates that anyone who has had a prison sentence longer than 12 months is ineligible to contest.
He then left the ruling African National Congress (ANC), for a newly formed uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party ahead of May’s general election.
The court papers filed on his behalf argue that the electoral commission “had no valid reasons to violate the political rights of (former) President Zuma”.
The Electoral Court has until April 9 to hear any challenges to the IEC’s decision, with the commission expected to publish its final candidate lists on April 10.
Zuma is the flagbearer of the opposition Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) party formed in December 2023 by disgruntled former ruling African National Congress (ANC) supporters.
Zuma hopes to inflict heavy electoral on President Cyril Ramaphosa whose ANC is feared to lose more political ground in the wake of worsening economic conditions and high-level corruption allegations.
Zuma was South Africa’s president from 2009 to 2018 but left under controversial circumstances following corruption allegations.