The Electoral Court has ruled in favour of the MK Party and former president Jacob Zuma in the case of the IEC barring him from returning to Parliament. (Tebogo Letsie/City Press)
The Constitutional Court rejected claims Jacob Zuma had been denied his appeal rights after it sentenced him to 15 months in jail for contempt – but, in a ruling that enables the former president to be appointed to Parliament, the Electoral Court has effectively accepted it.
In a ruling, the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) is now seeking to appeal in the Constitutional Court, Judge Dumisani Zondi found Zuma could not be said to have been “sentenced”, according to Section 47(1)(e) of the Constitution, because he had not been able to appeal.
Section 47(1)(e) of the Constitution disqualifies anyone who “is convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months imprisonment without the option of a fine” from serving in the National Assembly.
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