In a bid to block the upcoming parliamentary session slated for Friday, South Africa’s third-largest political party, led by former president Jacob Zuma, has taken legal action seeking to halt the proceedings aimed at electing the nation’s next president.
Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party has announced that none of its 58 recently elected lawmakers will attend the session.
This decision comes after the party filed objections with the Independent Electoral Commission, alleging widespread irregularities in last month’s national elections.
Despite securing just over 14% of the vote, the party, also known as MK, has yet to provide public evidence to substantiate its claims. Nevertheless, the commission asserts that it has thoroughly addressed all objections raised.
The recently initiated legal challenge calls upon the Constitutional Court to nullify the commission’s declaration of a free and fair election and to compel the president to call for a new election.
In the wake of the recent election, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) faced a notable defeat, losing its parliamentary majority for the first time in three decades since the end of apartheid.
Consequently, the ANC is now in discussions with various opposition parties to consider forming a government of national unity.
The results of these negotiations will be crucial in deciding who parliament will elect as South Africa’s next president.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, a rival of Zuma, is seeking re-election for a second term.
The results of these discussions will determine how South Africa’s next president is chosen. President Cyril Ramaphosa, a rival of Zuma, is aiming for re-election to secure a second term.
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