By The leader of uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party Mr Jacob Zuma has been disqualified from running as a party candidate in the upcoming national and provincial elections.
The Electoral Commission (IEC) says it has received 31 objections implicating eight candidates who allegedly have criminal records and were convicted, seven of those were dismissed and one was sustained, being that of Mr Jacob Zuma.
The Chairperson of the IEC Mr Mosotho Moepya said the decision was reached through the prescribed law in the Constitution of South Africa as stated in Section 47 and 106.
He said the Constitution sets out the eligibility criteria and qualification for the national assembly and provincial legislature respectively. They provide that every citizen who is qualified to vote for the national assembly and/or provincial legislature is eligible to stand for election except:
· anyone who has been declared to be of unsound mind by a court of the Republic;
· unrehabilitated insolvents;
· any person who was convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months imprisonment without the option of a fine. This disqualification ends five years after the sentence has been completed. This ground of disqualification
“Despite many of the objections not meeting the prescribed format for submission, the Commission has in keeping with its obligation to ensure free and fair elections, considered whether substantively the objections met the criteria in the constitution and the law,” said Moepya.
The IEC received a total of 82 objections relating to candidates nominated by 21 political parties, as some candidates, about 42 of them appeared in more than one political party lists and some were nominated as independent candidates. The objection process is now closed and parties have until 2 April 2024 to appeal the decision of the IEC at the Electoral Court.
“The Commission has written to the objectors, candidates and the nominating parties to advise them of its determinations. Any objector, party or candidate aggrieved by the decision of the Commission may appeal the decision with the Electoral Court by 02 April 2024.
The process of candidate nomination will culminate with the Commission releasing the lists of political parties and candidates that will appear on the various ballot papers. These lists will be published on 10 April 2024,” said the Chairperson Mosotho Moepya.
