CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Former South African President Jacob Zuma was disqualified on Monday from running in next week’s national elections due to a previous criminal conviction, a decision by the country’s highest court that is expected to heighten political tensions ahead of a crucial vote.
The Constitutional Court said a section of the Constitution that disqualifies people from running for public office if they are sentenced to more than 12 months in prison without the option of a fine applied to 82-year-old Zuma. Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in prison in 2021 by the Constitutional Court for contempt for refusing to testify at a judicial inquiry into government corruption.
The case over whether that sentence disqualified Zuma from next Wednesday’s election arose because he had no option to appeal the high court ruling that sent him to prison.
He was initially disqualified by the Independent Electoral Committee that runs elections in South Africa before winning an appeal to the Electoral Tribunal, which stated that because he had no options to appeal against the contempt ruling, it did not apply to his situation. .
The Constitutional Court annulled the decision on Monday. It stated that Zuma is not allowed to run for Parliament for five years following the completion of his sentence.
Zuma was South African president between 2009 and 2018, but resigned under a cloud of corruption allegations. He returned to politics last year with a new party and has been fiercely critical of the ruling African National Congress party, which he once led.
The election is expected to be the toughest test for the ANC, which has been in government for 30 years since the end of the apartheid system, dominated by the white minority. The ruling party risks losing its majority for the first time, which would likely force Africa’s most advanced economy to form a national coalition government for the first time.
Zuma’s new MK Party is expected to take away some of the ANC’s vote due to the former leader’s popularity in some parts of the country of 62 million people. Zuma was also in line to make a controversial return to Parliament six years after he was forced to resign as president by the ANC he led due to allegations that there was widespread government corruption during his tenure.
Zuma was also accused of corruption in a separate case and should be judged next April. He pleaded not guilty.
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