The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) says it is important for the Electoral Court to provide reasons for its decision to allow former President Jacob Zuma to stand for elections.
The Electoral Court released the judgement on Tuesday, 9 April.
IEC WEIGHS IN ON COURT RULING TO ALLOW JACOB ZUMA TO STAND FOR ELECTIONS
As previously reported, the IEC’s decision to bar Zuma from contesting for a seat in the National Assembly was based on an objection it received when it published political parties’ candidate lists.
In the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party candidate list, Zuma sat comfortably at number one, and the objection was based on the fact that Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in prison for contempt of court in 2021.
Zuma was sentenced for refusing to appear before the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.
Zuma’s lawyer and advocate, Dali Mpofu, argued that the IEC had no authority to remove Zuma from the list. He also said that the Electoral Court had no right to decide on the matter, sealing the case for Zuma.
Following the decision, the Commission said it would request the Electoral Court to provide reasons for dismissing its decision to bar Zuma, the presidential candidate of the newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, which appealed against the Commission’s decision.
The IEC said that the Electoral Court must provide reasons to understand the basis of the conclusion reached.
“Naturally, the Commission is taking legal advice on both matters and will chart a way forward based on such advice as well as reasoned judgments that it may receive, hopefully, in the not-too-distant future,” it added.
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