Former president Zuma barred from parliamentary candidacy, South Africa's highest court rules.
The court's unanimous decision put an end to months of uncertainty about whether the former ANC leader-turned-political adversary and public face of a rival party would be able to run for the nation's top legislative body.
Zuma resigned as president in 2018 due to a string of corruption scandals and infighting within the ANC. He was convicted of contempt of court by the same constitutional court for refusing to testify to an anti-corruption commission.
A sentence that banned him from standing was issued by the court on Monday.
"Zuma is hence not eligible to be a member of and not qualified to stand for election to the national assembly until five years have passed following the completion of his sentence," ruled Justice Leona Theron.
Neeshan Balton from the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation praised the verdict on local television, saying, "We applaud the judgment and find it to be well-reasoned. A contempt of court sentence is a significant sentence that shouldn't be taken lightly. The constitutional court has reiterated this."
A potential spoiler for the ANC
Zuma and his newly formed uMkhonto WeSizwe Party pose a significant threat to the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal province. Insiders in the ANC are worried that the party could erode the ANC's support in the region.
The May 29 election is a crucial test for the party of Nelson Mandela, as multiple opposition parties vie for votes. Many experts believe the ANC's majority is vulnerable. Even though the court decided that Zuma is ineligible to run for an MP position, his party will still compete in the election and his image will be featured on the ballot.
A party representative couldn't be reached for comment by CNN.
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Despite being barred from parliamentary candidacy by South Africa's highest court, former president Zuma's newly formed uMkhonto WeSizwe Party could pose a significant threat to the ANC in Africa, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal province. The party's image, led by Zuma, will still be featured on the ballot in the May 29 election, potentially eroding the ANC's support in the region.
Source: edition.cnn.com
