The Constitutional Court has ex-pres. Jacob Zuma and his uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party have been given until next week to respond to the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) appeal application.
The IEC approached the constitutional court directly after the electoral court ruled earlier this month that Zuma may indeed stand for election in this year’s national election. The MKP submitted an urgent application to the electoral court after the IEC initially ruled that Zuma could not stand as a candidate due to his criminal record.
NDABANEWS: BREAKING – Concourt has now extended the deadline to 30 April for #MKParty and #JacobZuma to file affidavits. pic.twitter.com/JQhxnzC5Pi
— Thulani Ndaba (@tndaba) April 25, 2024
Now the IEC in turn approached the Constitutional Court on an urgent basis.
The IEC is asking for leave to appeal against the decision and an order that Zuma has been found guilty of a crime and is therefore ineligible to be a member of the National Assembly. This provision applies until five years have passed since the completion of his sentence.
In a new directive, Sibusiso Mapossa, registrar of the Constitutional Court, gave Zuma’s legal team a reprieve on Thursday. They now have until Tuesday to submit their opposition papers.
The respondents in the application are the MKP, Zuma, Maroba Matsapola and Bethuel Terrence Nkosi.
Zuma was found guilty in 2021 on a charge of contempt of court and sentenced to 15 months imprisonment. In his application, however, his legal team insisted that Zuma’s sentence cannot disqualify him.
