WATCH: ‘Zuma must respect rule of law’ − Ramaphosa after ConCourt ruling

President Cyril Ramaphosa has said Jacob Zuma must respect the rule of law. This after the Constitutional Court upheld the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC) appeal and ruled that the former president is not eligible to stand for election to the National Assembly.

The ConCourt delivered its ruling on Monday, ruling in favour of the IEC saying Zuma is not eligible to stand for election to the National Assembly until five years has passed since the completion of his sentence.

Watch Ramaphosa reacts to the Constitutional Court ruling disqualifying former President Jacob Zuma from running for Parliament

Ramaphosa reacts to the Constitutional Court ruling disqualifying former President Jacob Zuma from running for Parliament #TheCMShow #PresidentRamaphosa #702PresidentRamaphosa pic.twitter.com/pjPIj928bJ

— 702 (@Radio702) May 20, 2024

Rule of law

“This court concludes that Mr Zuma was convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months for the purposes of Section 47(1)(e) of the Constitution and is accordingly not eligible to be a member of and not qualify to stand for election to the National Assembly until five years have elapsed since the completion of his sentence,” Justice Leona Theron said.

Ramaphosa told 702’s Clement Manyathela that Zuma must abide by the court decision.

“The court has ruled. As I’ve often said, that’s the highest court in the land and we’ve given the judiciary the right to arbitrate disputes amongst us in terms of our Constitution. So they have come out with a ruling and I note that ruling and that is what it is.”

ALSO READ: Zuma barred from standing for election to Parliament, ConCourt rules

Violence

With the decision by the apex court having deep implications on the result with observers fearing violent unrest, Ramaphosa said he is not concerned about the threat of violence.

“I’m not concerned about this instigating violence. President Jacob Zuma should be the one person who should respect the rule of law.

“Should there be any threat of violence, our security forces are ready to deal with that and we will not even mince our words when it comes to something like that,” Ramaphosa said.

ANC family

Ramaphosa also said he is not concerned by political parties that have sprung up from members of the African National Congress (ANC) who have abandoned the party.

He said the ANC has seen a number of political parties springing up from people or by people who left the party and it’s “not anything new”.

“We’ve had many, many parties that were formed by a number of people. So when you say we deserve this, I don’t think that’s an appropriate description because in the end, people do what they want to do and when they leave the party, recently we had a secretary-general who was expelled from the party and he formed his own party.

Ramaphosa will return

“People choose what they want, but the ANC goes on and we, in many ways, are becoming stronger and stronger as people have left our family. And they think that by leaving our family, we are going to be weakened, we are going to lose elections; they are in for a surprise because the members of the ANC, the ANC family and its supporters are determined to ensure that the ANC continues leading this country,” Ramaphosa said.

With Ramphosa’s first term coming to an end, the ANC president is confident of victory.

“I will return, yes I will return,” Ramaphosa said.

ALSO READ: WATCH: ‘When judges hate you, they sentence you even when you have no case’ – Zuma