On Thursday, May 23, former South African President Jacob Zuma expressed criticism towards the country’s highest court and his former allies in the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for his disqualification from the upcoming election.
In a video message aimed at the people of South Africa, Zuma vowed to fight for his rights “in a disciplined way,” just six days before the pivotal national vote.
The 82-year-old former leader announced that he would continue campaigning against the ANC, the party he once led, in the run-up to Wednesday’s election with his new political party.
This is despite being barred from standing as a candidate for Parliament, six years after resigning the presidency under corruption allegations.
On Monday, the Constitutional Court disqualified Zuma due to a constitutional provision stating that anyone sentenced to 12 months or more in prison without the option of a fine cannot stand for Parliament until five years after completing their sentence.
Zuma received a 15-month prison sentence in 2021 for contempt of court after refusing to testify at a corruption inquiry.
Claims of Legal Bias or Limited Legal Recourse
Zuma portrayed himself as a victim of a biased legal system and urged the people of South Africa to “take a stand to correct the wrongs of this country.”
He clarified that this was not a call for unrest, emphasising, “I want peace. I want equality. I want freedom.”
However, his criticism of the highest court could be troubling for many South Africans who cherish their constitution, which guarantees the freedom and rights of people of all races following the end of the apartheid system.
Zuma referred to the panel of Constitutional Court judges who ruled on his disqualification as “learned friends” and accused them of restricting his freedom and democracy.
“I’ve taken a decision that I will continue fighting … in different ways to convince everyone that I am right. The learned friends are not,” Zuma said. “I will continue, in a disciplined way, to fight for my rights.”
Zuma has almost no options to appeal his election disqualification, as the court that barred him is the highest authority on constitutional matters.
Erosion of ANC Support
Analysts expect Zuma’s new party to further erode the ANC’s declining support, dealing another blow to its chances of retaining a majority. Zuma has directed fierce criticism at current President Cyril Ramaphosa, who once served as his deputy. This has heightened tensions around an election already considered the most important in 30 years.
Zuma’s surprising return to politics late last year with his newly formed uMkhonto we Sizwe, also known as the MK Party, shook South African politics at a time when the ANC was particularly vulnerable. The long-ruling party, in power since the end of apartheid in 1994, faces the possibility of losing its majority for the first time in this election.
South African authorities have learned to take Zuma’s influence seriously after his jailing in 2021 led to a week of rioting, looting, and burning in parts of Africa’s most advanced country, resulting in more than 350 deaths. It was some of the worst violence South Africa had seen since the end of apartheid.
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