Former president Jacob Zuma and UmKhonto weSizwe (MK) party have asked for an extension from the Constitutional Court to file answering papers on the application by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) regarding the inclusion of Zuma in the ballot.
Lawyers for both Zuma and the MK party have written to the apex court to grant them an extension until April 30.
The deadline for Zuma and the MK party to file answering affidavits is Thursday, after the Constitutional Court issued directions to both parties.
But the lawyers said the deadline given by the highest court in the land was “short” and they would not be able to file their affidavits by Thursday.
The leaders of the MK party were currently campaigning all over the country ahead of the elections.
The lawyers would be able to consult with them over the weekend and this would give them time to prepare and file the answering papers by the end of April.
“The purpose of this letter is to humbly request for an extension for the filing of the answering affidavit later than the April 25 date prescribed in the latest directive received in the late afternoon on April 23.
“The reason for the request is that the time afforded to the respondents is, with the greatest respect, unreasonably short in the circumstances. Our offices have only been able to make contact with our clients and counsel until this morning. The legal representatives were unfortunately engaged in other matters and, with the elections around the corner, the clients were spread out across the country campaigning for votes. It therefore seems like we will only be able to consult and receive instructions over the coming weekend,” wrote Zungu Incorporated, the lawyers for Zuma and the MK party.
Zuma and the MK party are contesting the decision of the IEC to challenge Zuma’s candidacy.
This was after the Electoral Court ruled that Zuma can stand as a candidate in the elections.
The IEC had decided that Zuma was not eligible to stand for Parliament because of his conviction and sentence.