The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party will appeal the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) decision to remove former President Jacob Zuma from its parliamentary list.
According to the party’s national spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndlela, they were not aware of the merits of the IEC’s decision to uphold the decision to prohibit Zuma from standing as one of its candidates for parliament.
MK PARTY QUESTIONS MERITS OF IEC DECISION
“We are told there’s an objection that was made; I have not seen that in terms of what the merits of the objection are. But they allude to the 15 months’ sentence, which we will review. Where I am right now, whatever it is, we will obviously appeal it,” said Ndlela, reported TimesLive.
The IEC said on Thursday that it had received more than 80 objections to the candidacy of parliamentary nominees from several parties, including the MK Party. Eight of those candidates were found to have criminal records, including Zuma.
Zuma was nominated by his newly formed MK party as its No 1 candidate to the National Assembly despite him having a criminal record.
CONSTITUTION DOES NOT ALLOW ZUMA TO STAND FOR PUBLIC OFFICE
Section 47 of the constitution prohibits any citizen from becoming an MP if they have been sentenced to prison for longer than 12 months without the option of a fine.
Zuma was sentenced to a 15-month prison sentence by the Constitutional Court after a contempt of court conviction in 2021.
The charges originated in Zuma’s refusal to provide testimony to Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo’s judicial commission of inquiry into State Capture.
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