Jacob Zuma now officially MK leader
Ex-president, ANC member takes over from Khumalo
Former president Jacob Zuma is now the leader of the Ukhonto we Sizwe (MK) party, replacing Jabulani Khumalo who had initially registered the party with the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC).
This means Zuma’s face will appear on the national ballot paper for MK instead of Khumalo, after the newly formed political party informed the IEC of the leadership changes.
“The party has given us notice that Jabulani Khumalo is no longer the leader of MK party,” IEC deputy chief electoral officer Masego Sheburi told journalists yesterday when responding to questions on the national election ballot.
Zuma is technically still a member of the ANC although he was suspended from the party in January, after he announced his support of the MK party in December.
His candidacy is being challenged by the IEC in the Constitutional Court after an earlier ruling by the electoral court upheld a decision to include the former president on its lists of candidates to parliament.
The IEC’s chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo said, however, the finalisation of the list of candidates contesting seats in the May 29 election meant the commission could now go ahead with the printing of ballot papers for the elections.
Voters will receive three ballot papers to elect candidates to represent them in the National Assembly and provincial legislatures.
The National Assembly is made up of 400 seats, 200 of which are contested only by political parties.
Independent candidates can contest only half of the seats in the National Assembly.
“In respect of the elections of the National Assembly, voters may elect a preferred party on the national ballot and elect another preferred party or independent on the regional ballot.
“However, in respect of provincial elections, voters will elect a preferred party or independent candidate on a single provincial ballot,” Mamabolo said.
The national ballot paper will be used to vote for 52 political parties that will contest the elections.
The regional or province-tonational ballots will consist of political parties and independent candidates.
The number of contestants range from 30 to 44 on regional ballots.
The configuration of this ballot was a single column, Mamabolo said.
The provincial ballot “will allow voters to choose either a political party or an independent candidate to represent them in provincial legislatures. The number of contestants range from 24 to 45 on the provincial legislatures ballots”.