South Africa: Former Pres. Jacob Zuma Barred From Election

Improve the News Foundation -

Facts

  • South Africa's constitutional court on Monday barred former president Jacob Zuma from standing in the upcoming general election on May 29 due to his conviction for an offense that led to 12 months or more of imprisonment.1
  • Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in 2021 for contempt of court, which, per the constitution, renders him not eligible to stand in the election or serve in the National Assembly for five years after the end of the sentence, the court ruled.2
  • Serving with the African National Congress (ANC) from 2009 to 2018, Zuma resigned amid corruption allegations and was convicted for refusing to cooperate with investigators. He has since founded the uMkhonto WeSizwe (MK) party.3
  • The country's Independent Electoral Commission had initially disqualified Zuma due to his conviction, with that decision being overturned by the Electoral Court last month, leading to the Commission's appeal to the Constitutional Court.4
  • Zuma's team argued that he was eligible since he only served three months in prison before his release. Zuma's name will still remain on the ballot as the party leader, with MK officials saying the decision will not affect their campaign.5
  • The MK party hovers around 10% in the polls and could end the ANC's 30-year majority in parliament, as they sit in the 40% range. Zuma's successor, Cyril Ramaphosa, said he 'noted' the ruling, while Zuma himself has not made comment.5

Sources: 1France 24, 2Guardian, 3ft.com, 4allAfrica.com and 5BBC News.

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by BusinessLIVE. Jacob Zuma is a dangerous demagogue, with his supporters threatening violence if he were to be removed from the ballot. His imprisonment led to rioting that claimed the lives of hundreds — which he has still refused to condemn. The court did the right thing to uphold the constitution, especially in the face of a corrupt strongman who thinks he's above the law.
  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by The Conversation. The former president is the true standard-bearer of the ANC's mission of liberation, which has been corrupted by Ramaphosa and his inner circle. Zuma attracts his support from those disgruntled with the monarchical ANC, which is failing South Africa on every front. The ruling does little to blunt his appeal to a broad cross-section of society that is desperate for change.

Predictions