UDM unsettled by legal battle between IEC and Electoral Court

JOHANNESBURG - The United Democratic Movement (UDM) has raised concern over the legal battle between the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and the Electoral Court.

The party says it is unsettling that the IEC is at loggerheads with its court.

This follows the IEC confirming its move to appeal the recent Electoral Court ruling on former president Jacob Zuma's running for public office in the Constitutional Court.
 
The IEC says it wants to ensure that it fully understands the application of Section 47(1)(e) of the Constitution.

ALSO READ:

• IEC approaches ConCourt to appeal ruling on Zuma's public office candidacy, 'clarity' on the law
•  Electoral Court validates Zuma's MK Party candidacy

The UDM says seeing the IEC battle with the Electoral Court is a strange set of circumstances ahead of the general elections.

On Friday, the IEC said it was not playing politics with the matter when it approached the apex court, adding that it wanted to understand the interpretation of the section of interest contained in the Constitution. 

Zuma was initially disqualified by the IEC in this regard due to his prison sentence after he was found guilty of contempt in 2021.

This week, however, the Electoral Court upheld a challenge from Zuma and his newly-formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party.