The Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) said on Monday that it will remove former President Jacob Zuma’s name from uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) Party’s candidate nomination list on the election ballot for May 29.

However, his photograph will remain in the cluster of identifiers of the MK Party.

This after the Constitutional Court found that Zuma is not eligible to become a Member of Parliament. The apex court overturned an earlier ruling by the Electoral Court.

The EIC had approached the Constitutional Court to seek clarity on whether it had powers to enforce Section 47(1) of the Constitution, relating to persons eligible to be members of the National Assembly.

On Monday, following the judgment, the IEC said that it would not affect the ballot papers for the 2024 national and provincial elections.

“Now that the matter has been settled by the highest Court and given that the constitutional uncertainties have been clarified, the Commission can continue with final preparations for free and fair 2024 National and Provincial Elections single-mindedly, without apprehension that the elections are susceptible to challenge,” it said.