South Africa’s electoral commission has urgently appealed to the Constitutional Court following the reinstatement of Jacob Zuma as a candidate for the May 29th elections, overturning the Electoral Court’s previous decision.
The controversy revolves around the interpretation of section 47 of the constitution, particularly subsection (e), which outlines disqualifications for certain offenses. Zuma, 81, was sentenced to 15 months in prison in 2021, serving two months before benefiting from sentence remission to alleviate prison overcrowding.
The Electoral Commission seeks clarity on this interpretation to ensure fair elections and emphasizes its nonpartisan stance in the matter. With 27 million registered voters, the commission aims to resolve the issue before the election date to uphold democratic processes. In South Africa’s parliamentary system, voters choose parties, which then receive seats in the 400-member Parliament based on their vote share, ultimately leading to the election of the president.