South African ex-president Zuma appeals against election ban

Former South African President Jacob Zuma has filed an appeal against the South African Electoral Commission, which last week banned him from running in the upcoming elections.

The 81-year-old served as president from 2009 until 2018, when he had to step down because of corruption allegations.

He was convicted and received a 15-month prison sentence in 2021 for contempt of court – and the constitution says anyone who has had a prison sentence of longer than 12 months is not eligible to run for election.

Since then, having left the governing African National Congress (ANC), he has joined the new uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party ahead of May’s general election.

The AFP news agency reports that court papers filed on his behalf argue that the electoral commission “had no valid reasons to violate the political rights of [former] President Zuma”.