Zuma wants to prevent Ramaphosa’s Presidency, not interested in joining Parliament - Prof Theo Venter

As South Africa’s crucial elections on 29 May draw near, political parties are concentrating their campaign efforts in Kwazulu-Natal. The province has been singled out as the bellwether of this year’s elections by Prof Theo Venter, a political analyst from the University of Johannesburg. In an interview with Biznews, Prof Venter noted that the ANC’s performance in Kwazulu-Natal in past elections has been a strong indicator of their national results. Reflecting on the impact of the newly formed umKhonto we Sizwe Party (MKP), he said the MK Party could secure 8% of the vote if the latest Ipsos polls are accurate. Prof Venter anticipates that the Constitutional Court will not permit Zuma to enter Parliament. He believes that Zuma is not interested in being a part of Parliament per se, but rather in influencing it. If Zuma were to sit in the House of Assembly, he would forfeit the benefits and salary of an ex-president. According to Venter, Zuma’s primary objective in this election is not to shape legislation, but to prevent Ramaphosa from assuming the presidency. - Linda van Tilburg