S’Africa court disqualifies ex-President Zuma from contesting election

South Africa’s constitutional court, on Monday, declared that former President Jacob Zuma is not eligible to run for parliament in this month’s election.

The case stems from a decision in March by South Africa’s electoral commission to disqualify Zuma on the basis that the constitution prohibits anyone given a prison sentence of 12 months or longer from holding a parliamentary seat.

The former president was in 2021 sentenced to 15 months in jail for failing to appear at a corruption inquiry.

Ex-South African president Zuma involved in accident

In April, a court overturned the disqualification, saying the relevant section of the constitution applied only to people who had a chance to appeal against their sentences, which had not been Zuma’s case.

The electoral commission then challenged that decision in the constitutional court, according to Reuters.

The Star