Zuma will appear on ballot for MK party regardless of ConCourt outcome – IEC

The outcome of the legal battle between the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party over the candidacy of former president Jacob Zuma won’t affect the ballot.

This is according to IEC chief electoral officer (CEO) Sy Mamabolo.

Mamabolo briefed the media on Tuesday ahead of the special international votes set to take place on 17 and 18 May.

Eligible voters in South Africa will cast their vote on 29 May.

Zuma will appear on the ballot

Answering questions from reporters, Mamabolo indicated that Zuma would appear on all three ballot papers regardless of the case before the Constitutional Court (ConCourt).

“The outcome will have no bearing on the ballot paper.

“As matters stand, Mr Zuma is the registered party leader of MK party and, to that extent, he is the person whose photograph is on the ballot paper for MK.

“Whether he is a candidate or not a candidate, it has no bearing on that aspect because you are on the ballot party if you are a registered leader of a political party irrespective of [their participation as a candidate] in the election,” he said on Tuesday.

IEC vs MK party

Last week, the ConCourt heard the IEC’s leave to appeal application against an Electoral Court judgment.

The 9 April ruling overturned the commission’s decision to bar Zuma from standing for public office as an MK party candidate.

The Electoral Court concluded that Zuma’s 15-month sentence for contempt couldn’t be appealed and, thus, didn’t meet the criteria of a “sentence” under Section 47(1)(e) of the Constitution.

ALSO READ: Electoral Court’s ruling on Zuma ‘absurd’ – IEC tells ConCourt

Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, counsel for the IEC, argued on Friday that the commission’s decision to uphold an objection against the former president’s participation in the election was correct.

Ngcukaitobi requested the ConCourt to treat the IEC’s appeal application with urgency and to make a ruling on Zuma’s eligibility before the voting day.

Three election ballots

For the first time, three ballot papers will be used in the national and provincial elections.

The first ballot, known as the national compensatory, is exclusively contested by political parties and will be represented by the colour blue.

The second ballot, the regional ballot, will be open to independent candidates as well as political parties, distinguished by the colour orange.

READ MORE: IEC implements new measures to improve quality of counting votes

Lastly, the provincial ballot, represented by the colour pink, will feature contests among both political parties and independent candidates.

The final election results will be announced on Sunday, 2 June.

The extension will provide the commission with extra time to accurately count the votes, address any disputes, and conduct the necessary seat allocation calculations before the results announcement ceremony.