BY:PRUDENCE NHAVINGO
On the 28th of March the Electoral Commission held a media briefing at the
commission’s office in Centurion, to discuss the Commission Decision on
objections to candidate list for the 2024 NPE (National and Provincial Elections), as
the South African elections are about to take place on the 29th of May 2024.
One of the South African Act state that a person who has been convicted for more
than a year is not allowed to be part of the parliament ,as a result former
President Jacob Zuma was removed from being MK (Umkhonto wesizwe)
political party candidate and this was led by his 2021 arrest for contempt of court, as
the former president was given a 15 month prison penalty by the Constitutional
Court.
It was confirmed by the Electoral Commission of South African (IEC) Chairperson
Mosotho Moepya that the former president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma and the
other eight who were disapproved will not appear on the ballot as candidates on the
29th of May 2024 during votes.
Section 47 and 106 of the constitution set out the eligibility criteria and qualification
for the national assembly and provincial legislature respectively. They provide that
every citizen who is qualified to vote for the national assembly and provincial
legislature is eligible to stand for elections expect anyone who has been declared to
be of unsound mind by a court of the Republic, unrehabilitated bankrupt, any person
who was convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months
imprisonment without the option of a fine. And this qualification ends five years after
the sentence has been completed.
