South African Electoral Court Dismisses Appeals by Excluded Political Parties

The Electoral Court in South Africa has rejected five cases brought by political parties appealing their exclusion from contesting the upcoming elections. The parties, including Operation Dudula, Arise South Africa, Cape Independence Party, Defenders of the People, and Independent South Africa National Civic Organisation, were excluded due to non-compliance with candidate nomination requirements.

The court determined that the parties did not meet the necessary criteria for nominating candidates to participate in the elections. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) welcomed the Electoral Court's decision, stating that the applications had "immense implications for the production of the ballot papers for the forthcoming elections."

The Labour Party, another affected party, has filed court papers with the Constitutional Court seeking to postpone the election date. The party argues that delays in the Electoral Court's handling of its application to reopen the IEC's online candidate nomination portal, which allegedly malfunctioned before the March 8 deadline, prevented many new parties from uploading required supporting documents. The Labour Party wants the Constitutional Court to find its exclusion from the elections "inconsistent with the Constitution and unlawful" and for the President to postpone the elections.

The IEC has confirmed that 70 political parties and 11 independent candidates have been published as the final contestants in the upcoming elections. The United Democratic Movement (UDM) expressed sympathy for the excluded parties, recognizing the disenfranchisement felt by their voters. Some of the affected parties have accused the IEC of being "captured" and not acting in the best interests of free and fair elections.

Why this matters: The exclusion of multiple political parties from South Africa's elections raises questions about the fairness and inclusivity of the electoral process. The Constitutional Court's ruling on the Labour Party's application could have significant implications for the election timeline and the participation of newer parties.

The Electoral Court's dismissal of the appeals comes after it previously ruled in favor of former President Jacob Zuma, who had taken the IEC to court to challenge its decision to bar him from contesting a seat in Parliament. The IEC has now asked the Constitutional Court to set aside the Electoral Court's decision regarding Zuma. As the legal battles continue, the IEC is focusing on preparing the ballots for the elections with the 70 confirmed political parties and 11 independent candidates.

Key Takeaways

• Electoral Court rejected 5 parties' appeals to contest elections.
• Parties excluded due to non-compliance with candidate nomination requirements.
• Labour Party filed court papers to postpone election date.
• 70 parties and 11 independents confirmed as final contestants.
• IEC asked Constitutional Court to set aside ruling on former Pres. Zuma.