Former President and Party Lawyers Request More Time to Prepare Answering Papers
Former South African President Jacob Zuma and the UmKhonto weSizwe (MK) party have petitioned the Constitutional Court for an extension to file responding documents regarding the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC) challenge to Zuma’s inclusion on the ballot.
Legal representatives for both Zuma and the MK party have submitted requests to the apex court, seeking an extension until April 30.
The deadline set by the Constitutional Court for filing answering affidavits is Thursday, following directions issued to both parties.
However, attorneys representing Zuma and the MK party have deemed the timeframe provided by the highest court as “short,” expressing their inability to meet the Thursday deadline.
Leaders of the MK party are currently engaged in nationwide election campaigns. The lawyers anticipate consulting with them over the weekend, allowing for the preparation and submission of answering papers by the end of April.
In a letter to the court, Zungu Incorporated, legal representatives for Zuma and the MK party, cited the challenging circumstances that hindered timely consultations with clients and counsel. They emphasized the urgency to extend the filing deadline due to ongoing electoral activities and logistical constraints.
Zuma and the MK party are challenging the IEC’s decision to contest Zuma’s candidacy, which followed a ruling by the Electoral Court allowing Zuma to stand as a candidate despite his conviction and sentence.
The IEC had initially deemed Zuma ineligible for parliamentary candidacy due to his legal predicament, prompted by objections lodged against his participation in the polls.