Jacob Zuma and his Daughter Duduzile
The Umkhonto Wesizwe party (MK Party) has announced its list of 200 parliamentary candidates, which includes former President Jacob Zuma and his daughter, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla.
The party’s slate is topped by Jacob Zuma, who is expected to draw a polarized response from the electorate. Following closely is Jabulani Khumalo, the party’s founder, who is ranked second on the slate.
Apart from the notable Zuma father-daughter duo, other prominent figures featured in the lineup include Des Van Royeen, formerly entrusted with the Finance Ministry under Zuma Administration, Vusi Motha, and the controversial Visvin Reddy.
As the filing deadline of the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) fell on Friday, political parties and independent candidates were pushed against time to register their candidates for the 2024 general elections and demonstrate mass support through required signatures.
The race to the ballot box is thus underway, with South Africans set to make their political preferences known in the eagerly awaited and fiercely competitive upcoming voting rounds slated for 29 May.
The process has been riddled with challenges for fledgling political parties, with them required to garner over 47,800 signatures of endorsement to earn their places in this electoral marathon. Those falling short have been given the leeway to contest in provinces only.
Furthermore, parties that are yet to hold representation in parliament are faced with an uphill task of securing more than 13,800 signatures, establishing their eligibility for a parliamentary bid in the forthcoming elections.
