The Constitutional Court has ruled that former president Jacob Zuma is not eligible to stand for office in the National Assembly, just a day after he led the uMkhonto Wesizwe party's official election manifesto launch.

ConCourt Judge Leona Theron read out the ruling to a packed courtroom on Monday morning.

"It is declared that Mr Zuma was convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months' imprisonment for purposes of section 47 (1) e of the Constitution and is accordingly not eligible to be a member of and not qualified to stand for election to the National Assembly until five years have elapsed since the completion of his sentence," she said.

The court also ruled that the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) was empowered to make the decision to exclude Zuma, ahead of the elections.

The IEC brought the case before the ConCourt on appeal from the Electoral Court. The main case relates to whether Zuma is eligible to appear as a National Assembly candidate for the party after the IEC initially ruled that he was barred from doing so due to an 18-month conviction for contempt of court. Section 47 of the Constitution states that a person who is convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months' imprisonment without an option of a fine is not eligible to be a member of the National Assembly.

It adds that...