MK Party leader Jacob Zuma. (Darren Stewart/Gallo Images)
A “reasonable, informed and objective person” would not jump to the conclusion the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) prejudged excluding uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party leader Jacob Zuma’s candidature for the election, the IEC’s lawyer submitted to the Constitutional Court.
In 2021, the Constitutional Court sentenced Zuma to 15 months for contempt of court after he refused to obey its order to appear at the Zondo Commission.
Section 47(1)(e) of the Constitution disqualifies anyone who “is convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months’ imprisonment without the option of a fine” from serving in the National Assembly – but it adds “no one may be regarded as having been sentenced until an appeal against the conviction or sentence has been determined, or until the time for an appeal has expired”.
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