By: Natasha Archary

The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party is calling for the immediate resignation of IEC Commissioner Janet Love.
MK Party is of the opinion that the Commissioner is biased and do not believe Janet Love can be trusted to oversee nor be involved in the elections.
This after Love announced the decision by the IEC to disqualify former President and leader of the MK Party, Jacob Zuma from the 2024 National and Provincial elections.
While the Electoral Court declared that the complaint regarding Zuma’s candidacy as a member of Parliament had been overturned, the IEC has appraoched the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) for clarity on Section 47(1)(e) of the Constitution.
Under Section 47(1)(e) of the Constitution it states that a person who has served a sentence of more than a year is unable to serve as a member of parliament (MP), per Section 47 of the constitution.
Following his 2021 conviction for contempt of court, Zuma was given a 15-month prison sentence by the Constitutional Court.
Seeking clarity on the Electoral Court setting aside its decision against Zuma and the MK Party, the Electoral Commission confirmed an urgent and direct appeal will be lodged.
In a statement, MK Party has called for Janet Love to be removed with immediate effect over her “unprecedented move” to publicly declare that Zuma is not eligible and could not be included in the MK Party candidate list.
“As MK Party, we were prepared to give Ms Love who has been a loyal serving member of the ANC and a close confidante of President Ramaphosa the benefit of the doubt.
But in light of the above, we have now come to the conclusion that Janet Love is highly vested in the outcomes of the upcoming elections and cannot be trusted to oversee nor be involved in these elections.
The basis for our legitimate call for her removal, is due to her obnoxious behaviour on 24 January, before an objection was lodged regarding the eligibility of President Zuma to participate in the parliamentary elections.
The pronouncement was not only premature and unwarranted, but also in direct violation of the established IEC rules which stipulate that such declarations can only be made following an official objection.”
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