By Ebi Kesiena
Former South African President Jacob Zuma has launched a fierce critique of some of the country’s top judges after being barred from running for parliament on Monday.
In his first interview since the ban, Zuma told the BBC on Wednesday that the Constitutional Court was wrong to declare him unfit to run, citing his 2021 conviction for contempt of court as the basis for their decision.
“I expected that from our judges, but they are definitely wrong. The constitution should be changed,” Zuma asserted. “The judges of the Constitutional Court have acted very funny towards me in particular. They are not taking into account the will of the people of this country; they use their own will,” he added.
Zuma also addressed the violence that erupted following his jailing for contempt of court in 2021, suggesting it demonstrated the public’s strong support for him.
“This must tell you that the masses of this country love Zuma – that’s why we had that,” he said.
When asked by the BBC if he would use this interview to call for peace and calm ahead of next week’s election, Zuma responded, “I’ve always done so.”
