Court bars Zuma from contesting parliamentary election for ‘contempt conviction’

South Africa’s constitutional court has ruled that Jacob Zuma, former president, is ineligible to contest the May 29 general election.

Zuma, who seeks a seat in South Africa’s parliament, had his bid quashed on Monday after Leona Theron, presiding judge, said his previous conviction bars him from the ballot.

South Africa’s constitution prohibits anyone sentenced to 12 months or longer from holding a parliamentary seat.

Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in prison in June 2021 after he was found guilty of contempt of court. He had disobeyed an order by the constitutional court to appear before a judicial commission.

The probe was centred on corruption allegations in government during Zuma’s presidential term which lasted from 2009 to 2018.

The national electoral commission originally disqualified the former president in March. A month later, a court overturned the disqualification without elaborating on the verdict, leading the commission to appeal.

“This court concludes Mr Zuma was convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months’ imprisonment for the purpose 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 into the national assembly until five years have lapsed since the completion of his sentence,” Theron ruled.