Non-profit Freedom Under Law (FUL) wants the Electoral Court to release the reasons for its decision to uphold former President Jacob Zuma’s appeal again the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

On Tuesday, Zuma won his appeal in the Electoral Court against the IEC's decision to exclude him from being able to stand as an uMkhonto weSizwe Party parliamentary candidate ahead of the May 29 elections.

The IEC argued against Zuma’s eligibility to stand as a candidate owing to his 15-month prison sentence for being in contempt of court, in 2021.

The Electoral Court issued the order without reasons, which FUL argues is critical for the credibility of the electoral process.

“The need for an urgent decision on this matter is understandable, considering that elections are imminent. However, the reasons for the decision are of importance, both for the eligibility of the candidate in question, and as a general precedent. The rule of law requires that courts give fully motivated reasons for their decisions. FUL therefore calls on the Electoral Court to issue its reasons for judgment urgently,” FUL said.

Meanwhile, African National Congress (ANC) alliance partner the South African Communist Party (SACP) also wants the Electoral Court to release the full judgment of the order it handed down, which it says has “plunged the entire country into speculation”.

It wants the court to release to full judgment to allow public scrutiny of its rationale and allow the public and the IEC to determine whether there are any grounds for an appeal.

The party went on to say that the Zuma brand has passed its “sell-by date”.

“The fact is that millions of South Africans remain unhappy about the state capture and industrial scale looting that took place with the fugitives from justice, his friends the Guptas, at the helm. No reasonable South African wants to see a return to that rot, including through the ballot,” the party said.