South Africa: Electoral Court Ruling On Zuma Has Echoes of Its Judgment On Winnie Madikezela-Mandela

Julius Malema gave a speech at the fourth-anniversary celebrations of the Economic Freedom Fighters (file photo).
analysis

Arguing before the court on Monday, the MK party legal counsel Dali Mpofu SC pointed out similarities between Zuma's case and that of the late anti-apartheid stalwart Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.

The Electoral Court on Tuesday cleared Jacob Zuma, the face of the uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party's campaign, to stand for public office in the 29 May elections.

While the full judgment has not yet been released, arguing before the court on Monday, the party's legal counsel, Dali Mpofu SC, likened Zuma's case to that of the late anti-apartheid stalwart Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.

Madikizela-Mandela was an ANC candidate for the National Assembly in the 2009 elections, but she, like Zuma, had been sentenced by a court to more than 12 months' imprisonment without the option of a fine.

While the former president served three months of his 15-month contempt of court sentence, Madikizela-Mandela was, on appeal in 2004, given a 3½-year prison sentence, wholly suspended, after being found guilty of fraud.

The Freedom Front Plus (FF+) launched an application in the Electoral Court to have her removed from the ANC's list of candidates because it believed that the sentence, which exceeded 12 months without the option of a fine, meant she should be disqualified under section 47(1)(e) of the Constitution.

On Tuesday, former IEC commissioner Terry Tselane told Daily Maverick, "This is not the first time that a case like...

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.