PHILL MAGAKOEAFP
South Africa's Constitutional Court ruled Monday that former president Jacob Zuma is ineligible to be elected a member of the National Assembly in this month's general election.
The top court threw out Zuma's complaint against an electoral commission decision that a previous conviction for contempt prevents him from becoming an MP.
Electoral authorities have argued the graft-tainted politician should be barred from the race because of a 2021 contempt of court conviction.
Zuma's jailing in 2021 triggered a wave of unrest, riots and looting that left more than 350 people dead.
It is the same court that in 2021 sentenced 82-year-old Zuma to 15 months in prison after he refused to testify to a panel investigating financial corruption and cronyism during his presidency.
Zuma was freed on medical parole just two months into his term.
His new party, uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), came out of nowhere to become one of the main contenders in the election.
Banking on Zuma's popularity, it is expected to cut into the vote share of the embattled ruling African National Congress (ANC) the ex-president's former political home.
This could push the ANC towards a return of below 50 per cent for the first time in a national vote.
Short of a parliamentary majority, it would be forced to seek coalition partners to remain in power.
The ANC is struggling in opinion polls in the context of a weak economy and allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
