South Africa’s electoral commission said on Thursday it had excluded former president Jacob Zuma from standing in the May 29 general election.
Commission President Mosotho Moepya told reporters about this new development though he did not give detailed information.
In his words, “In the case of former president Zuma, yes, we did receive an objection, which has been upheld.
“The party that has nominated him has been informed” as we have those objecting to the move, he is making”, he added.
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Recall that Zuma, 81, was forced out of office in 2018 under a cloud of corruption allegations.
Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in jail in June 2021 after refusing to testify to a panel probing financial corruption and cronyism under his presidency.
Besides his 2021 contempt conviction, he is facing separate charges of corruption in an arms procurement scandal in the 1990s, when he was vice president.
The electoral commission disclosed in a statement that under the constitution “any person who was convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months imprisonment without the option of a fine” cannot stand in an election.
The decision can however be appealed if lodged before April 2.
