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IEC confirms Zuma’s image will appear on 2024 election ballot paper
The electoral body has, however, stated that Jacob Zuma’s name will be removed from the list of candidates nominated by the MK Party.
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The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has confirmed that a photograph of Jacob Zuma will still appear on ballot papers for the 2024 general elections, set for 29 May.
The elections body said, however, that Zuma’s name would be removed from list of candidates the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party had put forward for seats in Parliament.
“The commission reiterates that the judgment will not affect the ballot papers for the 2024 NPE [National and Provincial Elections] in any way. The photograph of Mr Jacob Zuma will remain in the cluster of identifiers of uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) Party. The name of Mr Jacob Zuma will, however, be removed from the list of candidates nominated by MK Party,” the IEC said in a statement on Monday afternoon.
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The IEC’s statement came shortly after the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) ruled on Monday morning that Zuma was ineligible to stand as a candidate for the National Assembly, due to his contempt conviction in 2021 and his sentence of 15 months.
Under Section 47 of the South African Constitution, anyone convicted of an offence and sentenced to 12 or more months cannot stand for office until five years after the end of the jail term.
While noting the ConCourt’s ruling, the elections commission said it would divert all its attention to final preparations ahead of 29 May.
“Now that the matter has been settled by the highest court and given that the constitutional uncertainties have been clarified, the commission can continue with final preparations for free and fair 2024 National and Provincial Elections [NPE] single-mindedly, without apprehension that the elections are susceptible to challenge,” said the electoral body.
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT BRINGS CLARITY ON SECTION 47
However, there was some confusion about the 15-month sanction, emanating from Zuma’s remission of sentence by President Cyril Ramaphosa after the former president spent three months in prison. The Electoral Court had ruled in April that the remission had effectively reduced Zuma’s sentence to three months.
Reading the judgment on Monday, Justice Leona Theron said: “Mr Zuma was convicted in that this court found him guilty of the crime of contempt of court. This Court concludes that Mr Zuma was convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months imprisonment for the purposes of Section 47(1)(e) of the Constitution and is accordingly not eligible to be a member of and not qualified to stand for election to the National Assembly, until five years have lapsed since the completion of his sentence.”
HOW JACOB ZUMA GOT CONVICTED FOR CONTEMPT
Zuma was convicted under the Commissions Act, which compels anyone directed to appear before a state commission to attend on their given dates and times. The former president repeatedly ignored these summons, choosing to stay away from Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture.
Zuma’s summons was triggered by repeated accusations by witnesses at the commission, who repeatedly told commission chairperson Justice Raymond Zondo that the former president had given the notorious Gupta family unprecedented power and access to government contracts.