Court prevents former President Zuma from participating in parliamentary elections
In South Africa, Jacob Zuma served as the country's leader for a span of 9 years. However, his tenure came to an end when he faced multiple scandals, causing him to step back from politics. Despite this, he now aims to make a come back, backed by his own political party - Umkhonto We Sizwe. Yet, a recent ruling by the Constitutional Court has hindered his plans.
A few days ahead of South Africa's parliamentary elections, Judge Leona Theron of the Constitutional Court has disqualified Jacob Zuma from participating in these elections. The reason behind this was due to Zuma receiving a sentence of more than a year in prison back in 2021. This legal decision bars him from being a part of the National Assembly.
Once the president of South Africa from 2009-2018, Zuma is formerly a member of the African National Congress (ANC). His corruption scandals led to his resignation. 2021 saw Zuma being convicted by the same Constitutional Court for not providing testimony at an inquiry about the corruption allegations. The court handed him a sentence of 15 months in prison. Although he was imprisoned in July 2021, the violence it sparked resulted in over 350 deaths. Eventually, Zuma got released after a little over two months due to health concerns.
Analysts anticipate that the impending parliamentary election could very well be the closest of its kind since South Africa's first democratic election in 1994. There's a possibility that the African National Congress (ANC), which has held power since the apartheid era, could lose its majority in parliament and be compelled to create a coalitional government.
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Despite facing jail time and the violence it incited, Jacob Zuma still intended to participate in South Africa's elections, backed by Umkhonto We Sizwe. However, Judge Leona Theron's recent ruling based on Zuma's over-a-year prison sentence disqualified him from the National Assembly, potentially affecting the country's upcoming parliamentary elections.
Source: www.ntv.de
