The Electoral Court in South Africa has reversed the IEC‘s decision to disqualify former president Jacob Zuma from standing as the MK Party candidate.
According to court document, the decision of the Electoral Commission of 28 March 2024 in terms of which the Electoral Commission upheld Dr Matsapola’s objection to the second applicant’s candidacy (Mr Zuma) is set aside.
The Electoral Body’s previous ruling upheld objections citing Zuma’s 2021 jailing for 15 months after being found guilty of contempt of court for defying anti-corruption investigators. Zuma has been campaigning for the recently formed uMkhonto WeSizwe (MK) (Spear of the Nation) party in an attempt to relaunch his career, after he was previously jailed for contempt of court in 2021.
The MK party resorted to the court to have Zuma on the ballot and appeal the IEC’s decision last week to uphold an objection to the former president’s candidacy in the elections.
South Africans will be going to the polls on May 29.
Hundreds of party supporters gathered outside the Johannesburg High Court hoping for good news.
The court made the following order:
Having heard counsel for the parties and having read the papers filed of record the following order is made:
- The application for leave to appeal is granted.
- The appeal succeeds.
- The decision of the Electoral Commission of 28 March 2024 in terms of which the Electoral Commission upheld Dr Matsapola’s objection to the second applicant’s candidacy (Mr Zuma) is set aside and substituted with the following: “The objection is hereby dismissed”
- No order is made as to costs.
