Election Ban: Jacob Zuma berates apex court judges; vows to fight back

Days after his disqualification from contesting the May 29 elections, former South African President Jacob Zuma lashed out at the country’s apex court judges, saying their ruling was wrong.

“I expected that from our judges, but they are definitely wrong. Not correct,” Mr Zuma said in his first interview with BBC on Thursday.

The 82-year-old politician further said the judges misinterpreted the country’s constitution by disqualifying him from the contest, adding, “I am a freedom fighter. I am going to fight it because it is unfair and undemocratic.”

“The judges of the Constitutional Court have acted very funny to me – towards me in particular,” Mr Zuma said. “They are not taking into account the will of the people of this country; they use their own will.”

The South African apex court barred Mr Zuma from running for parliament seat days before the country’s election on Monday, citing his 15-month jail sentence for contempt of court in 2021.

“It is declared that Mr Zuma was convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months’ imprisonment,… and is accordingly not eligible to be a member of, and not qualified to stand for election to, the National Assembly,” South Africa’s constitutional court said in its ruling.

In 2018, Mr Zuma was pressured to resign from his party, the ANC, over allegations of corruption. Having fallen out with his party, he floated a new party, uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), named after the ANC’s former armed wing during Nelson Mandela’s time.

MK Party’s national secretary, Sihle Ngubane, expressed disappointment in the court judgment.

“We are disappointed about the judgement. But I’d like to emphasise this: former President Jacob Zuma will be on the ballot paper when we are going to vote. When we leave here, President Zuma will lead us on what to do,” Mr Ngubane said.

Mr Zuma’s imprisonment in 2021 triggered riots that led to the death of over 300 people in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal.

When asked if Mr Zuma’s disqualification would not trigger violence, President Cyril Ramaphosa, in an interview with local radio 702 on Monday, said, “I’m not concerned about this instigating violence.”

Mr Ramaphosa added, “We have a rule of law in South Africa that governs us. Once a constitutional court has decided, that is it, and should there be any threat of violence, our security forces are ready.”