South Africa's top court will hear an appeal on Friday to have former president Jacob Zuma declared ineligible for this month's election.
Zuma, 82, is fronting a new opposition party that has become a potential disrupter in the May 29 general election.But electoral authorities have argued the graft-tainted politician should be barred from the race because of a 2021 contempt of court conviction.
Zuma’s jailing in 2021 triggered a wave of unrest, riots and looting that left more than 350 people dead.“Zuma’s supporters have threatened violence again this year should things not go their way,” said Zakhele Ndlovu, a politics lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.Many in the former president’s camp see the Constitutional Court as partisan.
But the political veteran’s lawyers successfully contended before the electoral court that it does not, for his sentence did not allow for an appeal and was shortened by a remission.Ben Winks, a lawyer specialising in constitutional law said the verdict was “surprising” and the IEC had a strong case on appeal.Zuma was freed on medical parole just two months into his term.
Banking on Zuma’s popularity, it is expected to cut into the vote share of the embattled ruling African National Congress – the ex-president’s former political home.Short of a parliamentary majority, it would be forced to seek coalition partners to remain in power.The ANC is struggling in opinion polls in the context of a weak economy and allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
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