Jacob Zuma Vows to Fight for His Rights After Court Disqualifies Him from Election

Former South African president Jacob Zuma released a video on social media declaring his intention to fight for his rights after the constitutional court barred him from running for parliament due to his prior prison sentence for contempt of court.

South Africa's former president Jacob Zuma said he would fight for his rights in a video shared on social media by his political party on Thursday, after the constitutional court barred him from running for parliament in this month's election.

The country's top court ruled on Monday that Zuma's 15-month sentence for contempt of court in 2021 disqualified him from standing in the May 29 vote, as the constitution prohibits anyone given a prison sentence of 12 months or longer from holding a parliamentary seat. "Judges of the constitutional court have taken a decision that I can't exercise my freedom, my democracy," Zuma said in comments in a YouTube video shared by his uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party.

"I am going to fight for my rights until this country agrees that freedom must be a complete freedom, not for some and oppression for others."