The IEC was still applying its mind in the case involving former president Jacob Zuma. Picture: Khaya Ngwenya/ Independent Newspapers
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) is taking legal advice on the decision of the Electoral Court to allow former president Jacob Zuma to contest the elections.
The IEC said it would ask for reasons from the court in order to decide on how to proceed with the matter.
It said it was crucial that reasons are provided by the court.
The Zuma matter was not the only one decided by the electoral court, it also ruled against the IEC on the overseas based voters.
The Democratic Alliance had taken the commission to court regarding voting stations abroad.
The IEC said it would have to study judgments in both cases in order to understand how to move.
“The first order relates to the candidacy of the erstwhile president Jacob Zuma whilst the second relates to the interpretation of the word consulate to include honorary consulates as provided in section 33(3) of the Electoral Act.
“Naturally, the commission is taking legal advice on both matters and will chart a way forward based on such advice as well as reasoned judgments that it may receive, hopefully, in the not-too-distant future.
“In order to understand the basis of the conclusions reached in both matters, it is important that reasons are provided. We will accordingly request the Electoral Court to hand down reasons for the orders made,” said the IEC.
Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party had challenged the decision of the IEC to remove the former president from the list of candidates to parliament.
This was based on the fact that Zuma served a prison sentence following a ruling of the Constitutional Court. This was after Zuma defied the order of the apex court.
The rules of the IEC were clear that a person who has been sentenced to more than 12 months in prison was not eligible to stand as a candidate in the elections.
The court said it was going to give its reasons later.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
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