Jacob Zuma attends a campaign of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party in Johannesburg, South Africa, May 18, 2024. (Photo by Ihsaan Haffejee/Xinhua)
JOHANNESBURG, May 20 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's Constitutional Court, the country's highest court, ruled on Monday that former president Jacob Zuma is not eligible to run for parliament in the upcoming elections.
The court's judgement came following the Independent Electoral Commission's appeal of the Electoral Court's order that allowed Zuma to remain on the candidates' list nominated by the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party.
"Zuma was convicted of an offense and sentenced to more than 12 months' imprisonment... and is accordingly not eligible to be a member of and not qualified to stand for election to the National Assembly," the Constitutional Court said in its judgement.
The order of the Electoral Court is set aside and the counter-application by Zuma and the MK Party is dismissed, according to the judgement.
Zuma, who was sentenced to 15 months in prison for contempt of court in 2021, was nominated as a candidate for the elections by the MK Party.
South Africa is scheduled to hold national and local elections on May 29. ■
Jacob Zuma attends a campaign of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party in Johannesburg, South Africa, May 18, 2024. (Photo by Ihsaan Haffejee/Xinhua)