MK Party notifies IEC about use of Zuma’s face on ballot paper

JOHANNESBURG - The face of former statesman Jacob Zuma will appear alongside Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK) Party on the ballot paper.

The Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) says the MK Party has notified it about changing its leader from Jabulani Khumalo to Zuma.

During a media briefing on Tuesday, the IEC announced that only the faces of registered party leaders will appear on the ballot.

The IEC says it is ready to print the ballot papers for the upcoming elections.

However, there are still some outstanding issues that may lead to the reconfiguration of the ballot.

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The Electoral Court still has five outstanding judgements on parties that are challenging their exclusion from the ballot.

The IEC has also approached the Constitutional Court to appeal a decision that allows Jacob Zuma to stand for elections.

Deputy chief electoral officer Masego Shehuri says the IFP will not get its wish on having its late president, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, on the ballot.

“While the face of their campaign remains chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the leader of the party is Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa and for that reason, only the photograph of Mr Hlabisa will appear on the ballot paper.

“So the commission is only interested on the ballot paper, not in managing what the party does as the face of its campaign outside of the ballot paper.”

The Durban High Court is due to make a decision on the trademark of uMkhonto weSizwe - which could potentially lead to the MK Party having to change its name and logo.